


UNDER KINGSGLAIVE TRAINING

by denebtenoh



Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:14:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 40,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29385399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denebtenoh/pseuds/denebtenoh
Summary: In order to fight a terrible destiny, Lightning is trying to become a Kingsglaive and has Nyx Ulric as her instructor. With the infamous temper these two have... whatever can go wrong?
Relationships: Lightning/Nyx Ulric
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. The Evil Girl

Prime Subject: Lightning Farron.  
Age: 12  
Height: 4.5 feet.  
Occupation: Kingsglaive trainee, 11th generation.

Sensei: Nyx Ulric.  
Age: 18  
Height: 6.1 feet.  
Occupation: First Sergeant of Insomnia´s Army, Kingsglaive Division. Commission: coach of the 11th generation of Kingsglaive trainees.

ooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

Uff… uff… argh… uff… 

Lightning´s body was aching all over, her lungs burning as if they were on fire, every breath seemed like she was breathing acid, and she even started to smell blood… to taste blood on her already dried saliva. Shouldn´t be sad that, at 12-years-old, she could already recognize its taste perfectly well?

Ungh… uff…

The 25th lap was weighing deeply on her legs, her arms felt like jelly, but one look at the gray eyes of her torturer was enough to set her heart on her focus, and to will them to push forward… only, with every lap, the pushing lasted even less than before, the adrenaline pumping on her bloodstream losing its effects sooner.

Agh… uff… ha…

26th lap and she purposefully turned her eyes searching for his frame, looking intently for his cheeky and hated smirk which she just couldn´t make go away no matter what she did. 

She found him leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on her while he ate a big chunk of pizza, exaggerating the action, knowing full well she hadn´t eaten at all, not even breakfast. 

For a moment the plan worked. 

Her ire inflamed at the look of his inconsiderate teasing, she immediately breathed in deeply, and lowered her head, forcing her legs to go faster.

Urgh… uff… ack…

“C´mon, Sparks! Give it up!” She easily heard his devious tone, the mirth in his voice, and she growled. 

Nyx Ulric. 

A rising star among the Kingsglaive Forces who, by an unknown twist of fortune and even less understood decision of the council, it was the second year he had been commissioned as first years trainees´ coach. And immediately after meeting her, he had proclaimed himself as her sensei. 

Make that her torturer. 

Never in this world would she ever give him such a magnificent title to a stupid prick like him. He didn´t deserve it.

“You know you won´t be able to complete all the laps.” He kept on screaming at her. “Stop this already and accept defeat. I might even share with you a piece of my delicious meal, if you were to stop running and apologize to me.”

Did she say prick? She really needed to learn how to swear better. Because, Etro help her, he really deserved something much worse.

“NYX ULRIC! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!”

She heard the scream, made by a deep and commanding voice, their tone making her shiver in spite of not knowing the owner. 

She took a glance at Nyx, her sight becoming blurry, but she forced herself to focus. She noticed the young man hastily standing up on attention, an evidently terrified expression written on his countenance, his obviously alarmed action making her smirk at the man. There was another man approaching him with fast steps, his back towards her; the new man was as tall as Nyx but more imposing, and evidently his superior. It was obvious he was scolding fiercely the Sergeant, apparently spitting in his admonishment to the younger man, since she could see how Ulric, from time to time, had to flinch while he spoke to him. Or rather, yelled at him. 

She finally reached closer to where they were standing, and the girl smirked at the scolded sergeant, earning a glare that made her smile gratefully.

Ha! Serves you right, moron!”

“Sparks, stop!” Nyx barked at her as if she were a dog, his words erasing her offending smirk. Lightning complied only to glare at him. The girl approached with every purpose of giving him her own well-deserved words, but her body, having lost the adrenaline pumping on her bloodstream that kept it going, simply gave up on her. 

Lightning didn´t know what happened, only saw darkness coming from all corners and hastily closing in on her. The last thing she saw was Nyx Ulric´s boots running towards her.

oooooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooo

“That´s it! I´m done with her!! I can´t stand that little imp!!”

The young man´s sudden outburst startled the group of Kingsglaives who were assembled at a small table and enjoying a few rows of beer in the most popular beerhouse in Insomnia. 

But Crowe Altius only rolled her eyes, already used to her friend´s tantrum.

“The little devil? You mean to say the great Nyx Ulric, the promising star, the only one in the Force promoted to First Sergeant at 18 years of age, is not able to keep under control an innocent 14-year-old girl?”

“Innocent? What does she have on innocent!?” The addressed man, the youngest member of the table, yelled at her, louder if possible, as he took his seat right next to his partner, and ordered with a gesture a beer for himself. “As we speak, she sure is planning new ways of making me suffer! What did I ever do to Drautos?!” He dramatically extended his hands towards the sky. “He must surely be torturing me on purpose by sending me that little demon!!”

“What are you babbling about now, Nyx? I thought your dream was to become a hero, not a drama queen.” An overweighed Kingsglaive, Libertus Ostium, joined them at that moment. 

“Libertus!” Everyone at the table stood to greet the man, and interchanged a few hugs and pleasantries, even Nyx forgot for a moment his worries, until they all were seated once again. 

“I´m so glad you came back in one piece from that mission! Thought I had to rescue you from Niflheim.” Nyx chided his friend.

“As if you were that lucky. Fortunately, I needed no heroes, thank you very much. Lady Luck was on my side, so the mission went on smoothly, no nifies sneaking around.” The man responded in cheerful tone. “So? What did I miss?”

Luche Lazarus, the eldest of their group, explained to the recently arriving man.

“Sergeant princess here is complaining about Drauto´s new form of torture. Please Libertus, explain to him the world isn´t conspiring against him in the form of a little trainee.”

“Whatever you mean, man?” Libertus addressed the childish comrade, not caring he had two ranks above him, the addressed man taking a sip of his beer to prevent himself from screaming once again. “There is no such thing as torture, rather the opposite. Obviously, they liked what you did with the last patch of newbies, that being the reason why you got to train this new pack of fresh meat trainees. Stop your rambling about someone conspiring against you.” He slapped the man on the back, making him spill a little bit of his beer. “Besides, you´ve been at it for only three weeks, and already complaining? What kind of wimp are you?”

“Oh, shut up, man! Try to train the devilish pink-haired midget I got this month, and we´ll talk.” Nyx spat at them, still trying to drown his anger on the beer.

“Bwhahaha no thank you!” The huge man raised his hands in mockery. “The honor is reserved only for Sergeants!”

“Who are you talking about, Nyx?” Crowe interfered. “You mean the scrawny little squirt whose head is level to your chest?” the woman snickered at him, eliciting a few laughs from the rest of the table.

“What´s her name again?” Luche asked, snickering some more.

“Sparks.” Nyx spat again as if the sole mention of her persona were an insult to him.

“I… really don’t think that´s her name.” Spoke Pelna Khara, another Kingsglaive comrade.

“The name is Lightning.” Crowe intervened, a full smirk plastered on her face at the young man´s reaction. “But I don´t think that´s her true name either. We should ask her little sister. I´m sure we´ll be able to get a name from her.”

“How come you know the little sister?” Luche asked, but Pelna asked in a higher tone.

“Can she have a little sister? You mean even smaller than her? So say, the little sister can actually walk?”

They all resumed their laughter.

“And why in the world would I want to know her true name?!” Answered Nyx, already angered at the prolonging of the issue.

“Because you can have payback at her for when she started calling you names.”

The young man was about to retort angrily, but the possibility of retaliation stopped him in his tracks.

“I´d like that…”

“Ok, just listen to you guys for a minute.” Libertus interfered. “Are we really talking about getting payback from a girl? A 14-year-old-girl?!”

“Yeah, 14 years of nastiness and malevolence, mind you.” Nyx answered in hushed tones at his friend, which elicited a minute of heavy silence and then they all burst out laughing out loud. “I don´t see why it´s so funny! You should totally get a minute with her and you´d understand.” He growled a bit more, taking another sip at his beer.

“Okay, okay…” Libertus extended his hands in surrender, trying to appease his comrade, “our bad. But what did she do to have you all reeled up about her?”

“Everything! But the most annoying thing is whenever I do something and she goes like ‘my commander Amodar would do it this way… my commander Amodar would never do that… my commander Amodar this… my commander Amodar that…’ Geez!” Nyx´s personification of the girl, using a higher pitch voice, elicited a new round of laughter, in spite of his suffering. “She criticizes everything I do, comparing me to her freaking commander Amodar. I hate him already!”

“But why wouldn´t you report her bad behavior, so that they´ll throw her away from the training?” Libertus still tried to reason to his friend. “And besides, why is there a child doing the worst training? Isn´t she too young to be a Kingsglaive?”

“I can answer to that.” Luche responded. “She´s an orphan, so she doesn´t need her parent´s permission, besides she came with the highest recommendation letter from that Amodar fellow Nyx just mentioned. It would seem that, even when he´s just a Lieutenant and a very old soldier, he´s got quite the status in front of Cor Leonis and even Clarus Almicitia, two of the closest generals to King Regis, as you well know. They wouldn´t deny him anything, and that included this little squirt´s training.”

“Well, then why don´t you just make her fail her exams. Or make her quit?”

“Because I can´t!” Nyx exclaimed evidently exasperated. “I´ve tried everything!! She does all the drills and exercises close to perfection, even being that young she´s already at the top of her class, and whatever punishment I throw at her, she just does it as if it were nothing and slaps it at my face! Like today!!”

“Today?” Luche asked. “Now that´s news to me. Haven´t heard of anything happening today.”

“This morning,” Crowe continued the explanation, as Ulric only growled, “Sensei Nyx here tried to punish her for one of those ‘hateful’ comments,” she emphasized the word, making quote signals with her fingers, “and she just glared at him, as if to dare him, tried to ran all the impossible laps he order her to, and pushed herself so hard she fainted in the middle of the laps, making Titus Drautos scold dear teacher Nyx.”

Lirbetus whistled at that. “The kid´s got some nerve.”

“The squirt has the devil inside.” Nyx spat once again, drinking the last of his beer. Libertus palmed him in the back, as if in understanding.

“Alright, alright. I´ll help you out with this. Tomorrow Drautos is on commission, so I can give them tomorrow´s class,” he immediately pointed the finger at his friend, the moment the young man opened up his mouth to speak, “but ONLY tomorrow and only if you help me out on a few stuff. I´ve got some things to do too.” Nyx nodded at his friend, relief evident in his countenance. “I´ll tell you about the help I need from you on the training grounds after I deal with the little squirt, so make sure you wait for me there. Do we have a deal?”

“Sparks.” Nyx said, making Libertus blink.

“Excuse me?” Asked the larger man.

“She hates it whenever I call her Sparks. That’s my own form of retaliation.” Libertus only managed to stare in disbelief at his friend, while Crowe shook her head in a disapproving gesture, the rest of their peers laughing at the exchange.

“And you call her childish.” The woman scolded him. “Seriously, Nyx, you´re behaving like a big baby throwing a big tantrum.”

oooooooOOOOOOOoooooooo

The group of 15 male and female teenagers had formed in two rows at the center of the Beginner’s Training Field, while Libertus walked back and forth in front of them, evaluating them with a keen eye. Youngsters of all colors, complexion, and heights stood on attention in perfectly formed lines, some entirely motionless, hands clasped at their backs and eyes fixed on front, some others shifting nervously, trying to avoid his gaze, obviously in discomfort at his piercing stare. He pitied them, remembering how hard his and Nyx´s first months had been. 

Some of the teens looked almost like young adults, men and women on their full blossom, bodies firm and strong; some others seemed barely reaching their early teenage years, skinny and elongated bodies that mimicked trees on the bloom rather than human bodies. But above them all, (or rather, below them) at the far end of the front row, stood out a scrawny little girl, too short to be called a teenager, with the pinkest blonde hair he had ever seen in his life. He snickered at her frame. 

Is this really the devilish midget that has Nyx all worked up?

But when he approached her level and looked intently at her perfectly still form, he started to fathom what his friend probably couldn´t notice.

She was so skinny and so small (definitely smaller than 5 ft… Crow hadn´t been joking when she said the girl barely reached Nyx´s chest), that she seemed to be swimming in the kingsglaive uniform. He knew they were forbidden to fix and adjust the uniform officially given to them… but really?? He didn´t know if it was the effect of the uniform, but the girl looked 8 rather than 14, given that there were no indications whatsoever that her body was in development. Actually, her frame was plain, looking rather like a skinny boy than a healthy teen girl, even less the body of a growing woman. 

He made a mental note: check her true age later. Maybe she had changed it to be allowed into the Kingsglaives Forces? Though it could be too the consequences of malnutrition and deficient care. After all, they had mentioned she was an orphan…

The child´s skin was ivory white, only stained by faint spots of pink on her cheeks and ears, obviously for all the days under the sun, tainted by stains of dried blood under her nose and one side of her mouth. He then noticed a swollen lower lip, and he raised an eyebrow, taking another mental note of his finding in order to ask about it later. Had she been looking for trouble around the city? Did they need a troublemaker like that? Then his eyes fell on hers. Icy blue irises were fixed in front of her, with obvious strength and determination embedded in them; and although he noticed her shoulders were a little shaky, her eyes spoke nothing related to defeat. Even at her short years, he could tell she was a force of nature no one should take on lightly. 

So, ‘Sparks’, eh? Something tells me the name kinda suits her. He smirked at his own joke.

The man kept walking, appraising each one of the trainees, and, deciding it had been enough, he clapped his hands, startling a few of them.

“Well then, I´m Libertus Ostium, Corporal of the Kingsglaive Corps, and today I´ll be your teacher. So, you should address me as ‘sensei’.” He made a dramatic pause, letting all the information sink in, and then resumed his walking. “We´ll start with the usual warming up and work from there. I want everyone to give me 10 laps around the stadium. Now Go!”

He didn´t miss the rolling of blue eyes at the end of the line the moment he ordered the running and made the next mental note to ask about it. It was going to be an interesting day.

The teens ran all the laps he had order them to, and was evident the little squirt had trouble keeping up with them, as she was left behind in every cycle, but it didn´t seem to deter her determination. Not a single word of complaint, nor a gesture of rebellion. She kept on running as fast as her small legs allowed her, (which wasn´t all that fast), and somehow, it filled his chest with a little bit of pride. After the running, he had them doing pushups and make a tour around the obstacle field. Then he blew his whistle.

“Well, now we´re going to work on couples, I want to see how advanced you are at close combat. We´ll start by evaluating your basics. I want you all to show me how you do jabs, cross, and straight punches.”

They paired up a bit hesitantly at first, but immediately fell in the organized chaos only teenagers can make. Libertus smiled at that, reminiscing a little his own training shared with Nyx and Crowe. Once he saw they all were coupled, though, he then noticed the little girl had been left behind, nobody had paired up with her. But instead of looking sad or at least down, she stood in front of the wall, taking advantage of her own shadow, and had started to punch the rock.

“What are you doing?” he asked as he approached her.

Without stopping her punching at the wall, nor to even look at the man, she addressed her teacher.

“Doing what you told us, isn´t it obvious?”

A vein popped up at her aggressiveness, but he sighed and tried again. 

“I said I wanted you all to pair up, yet you´re not obeying the order.” 

“Well, the reason is quite obvious.” She answered back, still not missing a beat. “There´s 15 of us, and thus only fourteen can pair up. There will always be someone who won´t be able to form a pair.”

Libertus hesitated at her reasoning.

“What´s your name, kid?”

“Lightning Farron.”

“Does this happen often to you, Lightning?”

“You mean a s…” she hesitated as if forcing herself to remember who was in front of her, “a teacher not taking notice we can´t all pair up?” She finally stopped her movements, but still refused to look at him, her baby blue orbs stubbornly fixed at the wall. “Yes. It happens all the time.”

“Does it always happen you´re the one being left alone?”

She was silent for many seconds, until, without moving, she answered with a simple “Yes.”

Libertus stood speechless for a moment. He knew the answer already, but for some reason, it still made him hesitate.

The girl must´ve noticed this, because she frowned, misinterpreting him, and restarted her ministrations to the wall, though this time harder. Libertus reacted at that and, shaking his head, addressed her once again.

“Here, practice with me, I´ll be your partner.”

“Don´t you have anyone else to bother? I can handle myself pretty well, thank you very much.”

He hadn´t been expecting gratitude per se, but he definitely didn´t expect the girl answering him so aggressively, as if he had seriously offended her. He should´ve scolded her, or just leave her be, but now he had to admit her feisty behavior and her overall appearance somewhat reminded him of a younger Crowe. So instead, he laughed out loud at her, making the girl stop dead in surprise, and then he retaliated with as much venom as he could muster.

“I´m not asking you nor pitting you. You´re obviously doing it all wrong, the worst of the class.” At that, she glared at him but the moment her mouth opened to retaliate, he took her by the shoulders and forced her to straighten them, while with one foot pushed one of her legs a little to the side, until she understood: he was correcting her position. 

“Here. Your stance is wrong, your legs too separated and off-balance, you´ll be thrown off to the ground at the first punch, even if you´re the one doing the punching. Besides, your foot-work is weakened, but we can fix it.” He positioned himself in front of her, showing her the right way of doing it, and, after a blink or two, she complied and mimicked his actions.

“That´s right! Perfect. Now let´s throw some punches.”

He began showing her and adjusting her movements, and from time to time left her alone to practice what she had just learned, while he evaluated and corrected the rest of her peers, only to return to her some more. He had noticed her foot-work was somehow amiss, evidently favoring her left foot, and assumed she had an injury she was trying desperately to hide. The mental notes were starting to be too much for him to remember.

The sun was long past its midday position when Libertus noticed how late it was, and the trainees hadn´t taken a single break nor any meal, so he decided to leave them for the day. It had been a very productive one, he thought but didn´t want to push them too far. But once he had them dismissed, someone pulled at his robes, and it took him by surprise to see the pinky midget in front of him.

“Lightning? What are you doing here? Aren´t you going to run for the cafeteria?”

She hesitated a bit, but then baby blue eyes pierced him.

“Sensei Libertus, I want you to train with me some more.” Her words were spoken like orders, and in his hesitance, she realized her mistake, so she blushed, lowered her head, and bowed, in obvious shame. “I´m sorry sensei… But please, I want to practice with you a little bit more.”

Falling out of his stupor, he smiled, and ruffled her hair, a gesture she obviously didn´t appreciate but that only made him laugh.

“Sure thing, Lightning, let´s practice some more. I just hope you don´t fall unconscious under my hard training.” He winked at her and she blushed, but the sincere smile of gratitude plastered on her face was payment enough for him.

oooooooOOOOOOOoooooooo

Only a couple of hours had passed since they had resumed their private classes, but Libertus had started to grow worried about Lightning´s left foot, as she, as time went by, had made several mistakes and hesitant moves, in order to protect the probably injured appendix. Even when he was enjoying himself at their sparring, they obviously had to stop.

“Okay, Lightning, that´s it. I think we´re done for now.”

“No!” She yelled, eyes almost scared, which surprised him. “I-I mean, the sun is still high up,” she lowered her eyes once more in shame, almost as if she were pleading to him, “and… and I´m not tired.”

He was going to agree but then took a glance at her feet; he dropped to the ground, an exaggerated sigh escaping his lips.

“Oh man! But I´m exhausted,” he lied, “please take pity on this old soul and let us rest a bit, will you?”

“But… but…” she was on the verge of pleading, but obviously her pride didn´t let her.

“Look Sparks… may I call you Sparks?” 

A vein popped up on her head at the nickname, and she growled, her eyes becoming like slits.

“Why would you call me that?”

Libertus offered her his cutest smile, trying to appease her. “I don´t mean to offend you. I just think it suits your temper and your tremendous energy.”

She glared at him a second more and then shrugged, looking away, trying to ignore the heat on her cheeks after hearing his complimentary words. He smiled even more at witnessing her blushed cheeks. She was, indeed, just a little girl.

“Look, if you don´t want me to call you that, I´ll respect you, but I kinda like that name for you. And you shouldn´t worry, Lightning, I promise you we´ll train some other time, but right now I need water and to go fetch some stuff, alright?”

“I´ll come with you.” She insisted some more.

“You better not. If you move from here, they´ll take the training area and we won´t be able to stay any longer. Stay, and don´t move an inch from here. I promise you it won´t take me long.”

He rose from the ground and ruffled her hair once more, and once he was out of her sight, inside the building, he took a sprint towards his locker, hastily grabbed a small bag from it, and quickly returned with them to her side. He was relieved to see that, true to her word, she had stayed in the same position. Libertus took a seat on the rocky fence and prompted her to approach. As she came next to him, he threw her a can of soda, which she caught swiftly. Once she was level with him, he suddenly stood up and, without previous warning, took her by the armpits and effortlessly sat her on the fence, in front of him.

“Now, don´t you dare to move.” He pierced her with his eyes, a warning of punishment embedded in them. Lightning was so much taken by surprise by his actions, that she didn´t even protest when he started to untie and remove her left shoe and sock, revealing a very swollen and red-and-purple ankle, marked with the restrains of the shoe. He looked up at her, searching for answers.

“I fell on the stairs in my house.” She unceremoniously answered.

“And now you´re gonna tell me the bloody lip and nose were a consequence of that too, right?”

She just shrugged but refused to say anything more, feigning nonchalance as she took a sip of her beverage. Libertus knew better, but didn´t push it any more, and instead applied a behemoth cream he always used when injured, then proceeded to bandage her foot, with obvious expertise. Lightning stood speechless, watching his ministrations with keen interest; he was grateful to notice she allowed him to work without a single moment of protest. Once he was done, the Kingsglaive gave her a small bottle of pills.

“What is this?”

“Medicine of course. It´ll help you heal faster.”

“I don´t need it.” Lightning protested stubbornly.

“I´m not asking you to take them. I´m ordering you to.” His words were rough, but with no ill intention. “If you don´t, I´ll tell Nyx you´re injured and then he´ll send you to the Infirmary.” She scoffed at the mention of the man, but opened the bottle anyways, and immediately took a pill which she helped herself with her beverage.

“Why are you so worked up about Nyx?” He dared to venture, hoping his rash move wouldn´t break the feeble trust he had earned from her.

At the mention of the offending name just out of the blue, she crossed her arms and stared at the ground, digging holes on it, but stubbornly remained silent. Libertus waited patiently, and his patience took fruit, because, after a long moment of hesitation (and a glance at him clearly asking herself whether he was trustworthy), she finally complied.

“He… he bothers me a lot, giving me names.”

“You really don´t like ‘Sparks’, right?”

“Tch… that name is actually one of the least unpleasant.”

“Really? I was actually under the impression that name was the only one he gave you.” 

“Yeah no, but… well…” she hesitated some more at being caught in the lie, and finally sighed, the crumpling of her walls evident under Libertu´s keen eye, “what I really don´t like about him, is that he just bumps his lazy ass upon the rock, orders us to run laps and then to pair up and fight, and stands there, just watching; sometimes I´m sure he actually dozes off.”

The news took Libertus by surprise because during the last generation of Kingsglaives, Nyx had actually been rewarded as mentor of the year, giving how much dedication he had put into training the teens. Knowing that he had been slacking was actually a surprise. He now understood why someone like Lightning could despise him so much.

But he was sure there was something in this more than met the eye.

“Let me tell you something, Nyx Ulric is…”

“I know who he is, but it´s hard to believe when he´s just such a lousy instructor.” She spat, unwilling to hear all the praises she had already heard before.

Libertus took a minute to ponder her words and knew she was right in feeling such things. But he just couldn´t let things as they were. 

“What time is it?” he suddenly asked her.

“Mmh? Why would you like to know?” It wasn´t that she was being rebellious. Not with Libertus. Her aggressive responses were already carved on her deeply. Fortunately, Libertus paid her no heed.

“Just tell me the time.”

She sighed at his urging but complied. “I think it´s past five in the afternoon.” 

He stood up in front of her and extended a hand, for which Lightning just raised an eyebrow.

“I want to show you something if you were to accompany me.”

“O-okay…” She rejected his hand, to which Libertus just smirked, and propped herself forward, falling off from the fence, but mindful of her injured foot.

They walked past the training grounds to a wider coliseum, where they found a rocky pillar several floors high, surrounded by many Kingsglaives doing a few battle exercises. Both Kingsglaive and trainee stopped at the balcony closest to the pillar, and after a moment, Libertus ordered Lightning to remain behind, as he walked down the stairs to greet his fellow comrades. Libertus immediately spotted his friends, Nyx and Crowe, but approached instead Tredd Furia, another Kingsglaive partner, and Pelna, and then spoke to them in hushed tones, about what, Lightning couldn´t fathom. They snickered at the heavier man and then walked purposefully towards the pillar, leaving their partner behind. The two men then approached Nyx, calling his name. 

“Hey Ulric!!” Pelna yelled at him. “Are you ready to take the challenge of the other day?”

The addressed man stopped his exercises, turned around, and smiled at them. “You mean the one when I beat your ass and you buy me a drink for that?” 

Pelna laughed at his words. “Yeah, man! That one! Only it´ll be the other way around, you´ll see.”

“Keep on dreaming.” He smirked. “But remember, no weapons.”

“Aaww… are we afraid of breaking our fingernails?” Tredd teased him, and in return received a right punch in the jaw that got him seeing stars. 

“Tricky bastard! We hadn´t started yet!” Yelled Pelna.

“Sorry, I thought you had said it was time.”

Both men attacked him at once, but Nyx only laughed at them, while avoided a punch from one, and kicked the other man on the ribs.

Libertus had arrived at Lightning´s side, smiling at her eyes full of amazement, struggling to keep up with his best friend´s movements. She seemed to be marveled by Nyx´s quick punches and smart moves, not allowing a single blow to reach him. She even yelped in surprise and emotion the moment a hook had scratched his torso but passed otherwise unharmed, and then he used the momentum of the blow to throw the owner to the ground and spun on his own axis to kick Pelna´s face the moment the man had tried to take him by surprise. Lightning almost wanted to clap and jump at him, and all Libertus could do was chuckle at her antics.

Nyx had been interchanging blows with Pelna, when Tredd tried to sneak behind him and using a piece of wood, aimed at his head.

“Idiot, watch out!!” Lightning couldn´t avoid it, the coward move had made her blood boil and she just had to yell the warning. Nyx immediately heard her, her voice forcing him to move and found the treacherous attack, which he avoided by mere inches, only to strike Tredd´s face with an uppercut that sent the man straight towards the ground. But Nyx was angry, not only for the attack but for seeing her in there, the meaning of his glare immediately interpreted by Lightning and Libertus. Without missing a beat, Nyx kicked Pelna on the gut and left him doubled over himself as he hastily approached the pair on the balcony. 

“You owe me some drinks.” He still managed to spat as he passed around the fallen men.

“Well, what do you think, Lightning?” Libertus spoke and noticed he had been left all on his own, as the spot the child had been occupying was completely empty. “Sneaky little brat. She left me to manage on my own.”

“What the hell is the meaning of this, Libertus?” Yelled a very angry Nyx. “You know this is forbidden ground for a trainee. What were you thinking when you brought her with us?”

But the bigger man paid him no heed as he clapped his friend´s back, joyful at his victory. “I knew you could make it! You should know I put all my bets on you!”

“There were bets??”

“Of course there were! And for that, we earned a few extra gils thanks to you!”

“Good, because you´re gonna have to give me double beer rations after the stunt you just put me through.” Nyx glared at his friend, but this time it was without much intention.

“Hey man, you can´t complain! Today was a very good day for you: you got rid of Sparks for a whole day, got the opportunity to kick Pelna and Tredda´s respective assess, and even got a few free drinks for yourself!”

Nyx considered his words and smiled, pinky midget already forgotten. “Yeah, you´re right, buddy. Let´s go get those well earn beers.”


	2. Injuries of the Flesh and Soul

The next day after Lightning´s visit at forbidden ground had been a rather odd (pleasantly odd) day for Nyx Ulric. He´d had problems waking up given that he had collected his beer payment the previous night, but thankfully the headache was tolerable: he and his friends hadn´t spent all night on the brewery, mindful of the next day´s responsibilities.

The next amazing thing was that Lightning, who had shown to training with a brand new and nasty bruise on her left cheek (seriously! What was she doing? Earning money by working as muscle for hire?), had left him by himself, not a single smart retort, not one simple eye roll, not even a huff when the laps he had ordered them were longer than the usual ones. She even ran at the end of the line, instead of taking the lead, fighting with Barret for the first place like she always did (it wasn´t even a freaking race!). Said teenager was, at the moment, at the forefront of the line, rejoicing on his recently acquired leadership; although Nyx smirked as he thought to himself, it wouldn´t last long: they all knew once the evil midget managed to put behind… whatever was happening to her, she would take her deserved place at the very front. 

Nyx took a glance at her frame, and raised an eyebrow, as she noticed the girl was having problems with keeping herself at the end of the line. Sometimes she even had to walk, exasperation evident on her countenance, as she apparently forced herself to remain behind Golmund, the slowest of them all. Why wasn´t she even trying to be in the middle?

“Whatever…” He didn´t know what was happening in her head, but he definitely wasn´t going to be bothered by the midget´s evil complot.

He checked his watch. 

Fantastic. 

He still had 30 minutes left before they finished all the laps. Nyx closed his eyes and readjusted his seat. 30 minutes were good for a small nap.

Two hours later, though, Lightning had obeyed all his orders without taking even a single dirty glance at his direction, not even uttered a single word; therefore, when for the first time she didn´t protest to be left all by herself to practice, once everyone had formed pairs, Nyx really started to wonder. 

Was she planning something? Did Libertus have something to do with this new attitude? Would he need to worry? 

He scoffed and convinced himself, for the umpteenth time, that there was nothing to feel anxious about, and focused on something else. But ten minutes passed by and he looked intently at her, his eyes closing like slits, suspicion in every fiber of his being. After a minute or two of mulling it over, he finally and grumpily rose from his rocky seat to approach the girl.

“Yo! Sparks!”

She ignored him, refusing to interrupt her ministrations to the wall.

“Sparks! I´m talking to you.”

He walked towards her, still calling her out, and once he was at her level, she suddenly spun on her axis and threw a punch at his middle. Exactly the way Libertus had taught her how to. The man barely caught the blow on time before it hit his gut, but still sensed the strength embedded in it.

How did she…?

Before he could utter a single word of protest, though, the girl bowed in front of him. “I´m sorry sensei,” she said, her eyes fixed on his boots, the action stopping him dead on his tracks, “I was obeying your orders, didn´t see you standing there.” 

He raised one eyebrow in disbelief but didn´t push it any further.

“What are you planning, midget?”

A vein popped on her forehead at this nickname, but nevertheless, she remained in the same position.

“Whatever you mean, sensei? I´m only practicing what you asked of us.”

“Cut the crap already, Sparks.” He spat at her, still suspicious and not buying her attitude. “I know you´re up to something, so spit it out already, or else I´ll punish you.”

After a few seconds, Lightning stood straight slowly, ever so slowly, until he was able to see her face, which displayed a huge, rather creepy smile, and eyes closed like slits. 

Nyx gave an involuntary step backward at her disturbing countenance.

“I want you to train me.” She blurted out.

Silence enveloped them both, stretching painfully for about a full minute. And then...

“No.” Without another word, Nyx turned around and walked away from her, determined on stopping the argument immediately. But she wasn´t deterred by his attitude. At all.

“Please, sensei!” she caught up with him, searching for his eyes, but he only glanced the other way. “Please! I wanna learn what you did yesterday!”

He rolled his eyes. “I knew Libertus was up to something.”

“I promise you I´ll work hard!”

“You have to work hard.” He eyed her in disbelief, his words making her hesitate.

“Umh… harder! I´ll work harder! I´ll do whatever you want me to.”

“You have to do that already.”

He was growing annoyed by the little squirt walking at his side all around. No matter what he did, she would follow him in every sharp turn he would make to avoid her.

Finally, she harrumphed, flustered by his childish attitude. “I won´t stop until you accept to train me. And you are well aware I´m not going to give up.” She threatened him.

Her words really made him angry, so he sharply turned around, doubled over himself so that his eyes were level to hers. The proximity of his face to hers startled her, making her give one step backward and almost fall on her rear, as she tried to avoid crashing against him.

“Listen to me, evil midget. If you don´t stop harassing me, I´ll make sure you´re thrown off of the training program right away, do you understand?”

She blinked at his words. Twice.

“You wouldn´t do that.”

“Of course I would.” He reinforced his threat with the most dreadful smirk he could muster. “There´s nothing that would make me feel more relieved than seeing you out of these grounds… Princess.”

Without waiting for an answer, he turned around, leaving her rooted on her spot. Nyx whistled at the group of trainees and gave the order to disperse. He felt too tired already, couldn´t believe it was just noon.

“We´ll continue practice tomorrow. Dismissed.” 

He didn´t even pay a glance at the child with frightened blue eyes he had left behind.

oooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo

The next day, Lightning had been silent and obedient during the whole training, which elicited a smirk from Nyx, happy to know the evil midget had finally known her place, so that day´s training had gone quite smoothly. He almost felt proud of himself.

But at the afternoon, unfortunately for him, he found out that Lightning had been waiting for him at the entrance of his apartment, blood oozing freely from her nose, but determined azure orbs fixed on his form.

“Train me!” She demanded this time.

He rolled his eyes again. “I said no.”

“You can´t say no forever.”

“Actually, I can. Besides, didn´t I tell you I would throw you out of the training program if you insisted on harassing me?”

She smirked at his words. “You might threaten me inside the training grounds. Inside I have to respect you. But we´re not in the training grounds anymore, so I´m just a bystander having a chat with a prominent member of society. Here you can´t threaten me like that. That said, will you train me?”

He growled at her response and raised his hands in exasperation.

“Argh! First you have to confess whatever are you doing with your free time!” He asked her, addressing her bloody nose. “What´s truly the reason you´re asking with so much insistence my training you? This is getting so suspicious!” He accused her, trying to find a way out of her demands. “If you want me to train you so that you´ll get money on fighting clubs, bets, bounty hunting, muscle for hire… or something like that, you really are out of your mind.” 

His words left her rooted on her spot, but out of anger and outrage more than anything else, as he could easily see how her face became tomato-red. 

Before he closed his door, leaving her outside, he leveled his eyes to hers once more. 

“I´ll be watching you, Sparks, and if I do find out you´re making money on illegal fighting, I promise you, you´re out of the training program for good.”

His words seemed to take her out of her stupor. 

“Moron! Whatever makes you think I´d do any of that?!” She finally reacted, but it was already too late, as his door slammed shut right on her face.

oooooooooOOOOOOOoooooooo

Nighttime on Insomnia, especially on the weekends, was always a pleasant journey. Nyx was having some leisure time with his comrades, drinking beer and hanging out, taking it from where they had left it the previous days, and Nyx felt already feisty. A few of his friends had already sluggish speech, and he was just making fun of them when a man approached their table.

“Hey dude,” Nyx, as well as Libertus and Crowe, who were closest to him, turned to see one of the bartenders approach their table. “There´s a little girl looking for you. She says she came to pick her drunken father up. Are you her father?” 

Nyx had problems digesting the words and turned a questioning glance at his friends, who only looked at him with the same lost expressions. That is, until the three friends took a look at the entrance, finding the small and well-known frame of one Lightning Farron.

“You´ve got to be shitting me…” Nyx swore under his breath. “She´s not my daughter, man. I don´t have a daughter, besides, even you should know she´s too old to be my daughter!”

But the bartender pressed on. “She warned us you´d say that.” The man paused as if compelling him to understand. “Look Nyx. I don´t want any problems with the police. Having a little girl standing at my doorstep is exactly doing that. Go solve whatever you need to solve and make me happy.” 

“We´ll deal with the problem, man.” Libertus interfered, trying to appease the angry bartender. He glared at Nyx some more, but nodded at Libertus, and then stormed off. The pair of Kingsglaives turned to stare at the Sergeant.

“Nyx, what´s happening?” Crowe asked him in hushed tones.

“She´s harassing me.” Was his painful response, as he passed his palms over his messy hair.

Libertus rolled his eyes at him. “Here we go…”

“Shut up, man! This is all your fault.” Nyx glared at his friend, as he slapped him in the chest. “Ever since you took her to watch our training, she´s been demanding I become her personal instructor. She´s even shown up at my doorstep!

Libertus´s lips formed a perfect ‘O’ at hearing him, while Crowe snickered.

“I don´t see how that´s funny.” He berated his friend.

“Sorry! Sorry. Couldn´t help it.” She raised her palms in mock surrender.

Crowe then shared a look with Libertus, and, in unison, started to get up, but Nyx stopped them.

“No, don´t. This is my problem. I´ll solve it. Thank you.” The last words were spoken with irony, directed at the big man seated next to him, who at least had the decency to look sheepish.

“I´m sorry man.” That was all Libertus managed to say. 

“Yeah, you better be sorry.”

Nyx stomped over to where Lightning was waiting for him, outrage and determination embedded on his countenance. But taking a good look at her guise made him hesitate.

Her clothes were simple and plain, denim pants that had seen better days and that evidently had been made for someone shorter, a white t-shirt that actually fitted her, with a colorful but worn out unicorn drawn over it that barely allowed to discern the shy form of developing breasts; her strawberry blonde hair up and fixed on a side ponytail; her flushed cheeks and pink lips... 

It would seem that, in spite of her grim visage, her overall appearance screamed of innocence and tenderness all over.

Nyx blinked at her aspect, and in spite of himself, felt a small smile threatening to appear on his lips. Outside the uniform, she really looked like a sweet girl. A pubescent girl, still far from becoming a true teenager.

He shook his head and growled, forcing himself to erase the thought and for his rage to return.

“Good night, sensei.” At the sight of him, she bowed respectfully, but the man´s only response was to take her forcefully by the arm the moment he reached her side, and to guide her roughly to the sidewalk.

“Hey!” She protested, unable to stop the strong grip dragging her out.

“Now what?” He spat at her once they were outside and away from the brewery.

“You well know what.” She simply spat back. “I want you to train me.” 

He rolled his eyes and screamed high up at the sky, at the top of his lungs, frustration beginning to pile up.

“This just gotta stop! I won´t train you! Do you understand? Not now nor ever!”

“Then you´ll have to endure me for the rest of your life.” She threatened.

“That won´t be necessary. I´m bailing you out of the training program.”

“You can´t.” She stood straighter, trying to be imposing but failing miserably. “I told you before. I really can´t do much inside training grounds, but whatever relationship you and I have outside the Kingsglaive fort has nothing to do with military nor royal laws. That said, I´m not doing anything unbefitting of a Kingsglaive trainee. You will be severely punished if you try something against a highly skilled trainee like myself without proof of anything.”

A vein on his head threatened to explode.

“Besides,” she pressed on, “what else do you have to lose? I´ll even pay you. You´ll earn some money for more beer, will get more opportunities to torture me, and on top of it all, you´ll get all the credit once I become first place on the program. That must be something good for your résumé, right?”

He pondered over her words, but after a moment he shook his head.

“Let´s do this,” she interrupted him before he stated his negative, giving a step forward for emphasis, “let´s try it for two weeks, only two weeks. And if you don´t like it, at the end of the second week we just give it up and you still get paid for a month. What do you think?”

The kid was smart, at least he could give her that. Smart and persistent. 

“Full payment?” He tried, still hesitant.

“Full payment.” She smiled, sensing her victory.

“Where will you get that money from?” He raised an eyebrow.

“That´s definitely none of your business.” She scolded him.

“It´s my business if it´s illegal.”

“Then you better not know.”

He closed his eyes like slits, trying to read her, but she just mimicked his countenance.

“Are you really into fighting clubs?” He insisted.

She rolled her eyes. “If I said yes, would you train me?”

“No.”

“Then don´t ask again.”

“That´s illegal fighting.”

“Then I don´t go to those fights.”

He was about to say no to her again but thought of the money. She was right. More money meant more beers.

“I will definitely not train you right now.” He finally gave up, straightening his posture and crossing the arms. “It´s my leisure time.”

“I know, idiot. I´m here just to collect your word for it.”

“Okay, first off, you´re gonna have to stop giving me names or insulting me.” He scolded her.

“That will depend on the quality of your training.” She pushed it further.

“You never lose, do you?” He asked, raising an amused eyebrow, surprise evident.

“I actually lose most of the time. I´m here with you to fix that.” Lightning only smirked at him.

He sighed. “Why would you trust in my word anyways? You already hold me in very low standards.”

She fixed her stare on his blue eyes, determination and threat swimming in the pool of her azure irises. “Because you are the ‘hero’ of the Kingsglaive Force. I´m sure you won´t let your word be dragged around like a dirty and old rag doll.” 

He hesitated. It wasn´t that he was scared of her, nor that he had accepted. But… she had made a point: he had a reputation to hold.

“We´ll see what we can do.”

“No. I want your word that you´ll train me.” She stated firmly. 

Only, he wasn´t ready to surrender to her so easily.

“My word to talk it over with you tomorrow morning, and its the only thing you´ll get from me right now. Take it or leave without even that.”

She glared at him, and he glared back, a dispute in between two highly stubborn people.

“Fine.” She conceded, but without taking her eyes off from his. “We´ll see each other tomorrow.”

“Fine. I can´t say I´m happy for it.”

She smirked at his words, nodded, and then just walked away, while he stood there, taking out a cigarette to appease his nerves as he watched her leave. She was going to be the death of him.

oooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooo

The next day of training started no different than the previous one. Lightning had been silent, standing at the far end of the rows of teens, avoiding his gaze. This time Nyx wondered why hadn´t she demanded their promised spar. Maybe she was reserving it as a way of torture for later, once the rest of her peers were gone? He shrugged. The day was just too beautiful to worry about a promise to a childish brat.

But still, he had made a promise. And he was a man of honor. So today he wanted to try something different, hoping to honor that word.

He went to the back of the stairs while they all made their laps, and returned to them with a big black bag. 

“Okay. I need you to build the strength in your arms while you use a weapon.” He addressed the assembling group of teens while he opened the bag and threw a wooden sword to each one of them. “We´ll start with the basic position.” He took one of the swords and showed it to them. “This is a Bokken, your best friend from now on. I want you to try the high defense and then strike.” He made the movement, raising the sword using both hands, and held it high up above his head, only to slash down with such speed, that it cut the air and made a swishing noise. “Now go!”

Each teen started positioning, hesitantly at first, but then all raised their sword up above their heads. 

All except for one. 

Lightning had the sword positioned in front of her, and was glaring daggers at it as if the object had badly offended her in some way.

Nyx approached her, not understanding her resistance. Wasn´t this what she had wanted in the first place? “Do you have a problem with the exercise, Sparks?”

She hesitated at first, blinked as if waking up, and addressed the man.

“I don´t want to do it, sensei.”

Her words made his temper flare, but he inhaled deeply, doing his best effort not to lose it.

“What do you mean you don´t want to do it?”

“Exactly that. I don´t want to.” She answered with venom in her voice.

He greeted his teeth, rage peaking. “Isn´t this what you have been bothering me about? Wasn´t this your intention?”

“Yes but…”

“Or you just wanted me to make a fool of myself?”

Lightning opened her eyes wide, suddenly understanding the reason for his anger. Her azure eyes returned to the offending object in her hands, glaring even harder at it, and slowly started to raise it, only to throw the sword to one side, refusing to meet the man´s eyes.

“This is just stupid. I won´t do it.”

Nyx had had enough. He was a Kingsglaive. No one, especially not a silly child, would play with him. His fury exploited at that moment and he stomped towards her, his body radiating so much rage, all the teens who had been looking intently at their exchange, took a step backward, including Lightning. Taking her left wrist with rather too much harshness, he rose the limb up in the air in an attempt to force her to do the exercise, with way too much brute strength; but right at the moment he did it, Lightning screamed, like a wounded animal would, and immediately retrieved her offended limb, recoiling from his side and doubling over herself, evidently protecting her left arm with her own body. But besides the scream that had escaped from her lips, she remained silent. Not a word of complaint came from her.

Nyx was astonished at the turn of events, too stunned to react at first, but then his eyes lit up, as if realization had hit him, and took the girl by the right arm, gentler this time, but still dragging her along with him. Lightning left him do, too preoccupied with her left arm to care.

“Barret, you´re on charge.” Nyx spat as he hauled at the small teen. He then extracted his cellphone and called. Two rings were enough. “Crowe it´s Nyx. Please sister, I need to meet you at the Infirmary. It´s urgent.”

His words were the needed stimuli for Lightning to wake up. “What? No! I don´t want to go to the Infirmary!” but her protests were unheard, and her struggle to release herself futile. The man was a lot stronger than her and determined to take her to the location.

Once they arrived, his stomps and her loud protests frightened the nurse on call, as he forcefully seated the stubborn child upon the exploration table.

“Sergeant Ulric, sir. What´s the meaning of this?” Asked a very concerned nurse.

“Do you have a strong painkiller?” He barely addressed her, searching for something all around the room.

“No sir, the ones we have are not very strong. For one as you need, we would need a doctor.”

“Great! Where can we get one of those?”

He immediately turned to look at the woman, but her eyes were apologetic.

“I´m sorry Sergeant. The doctor is on commission now, he won´t be around until late afternoon.”

He got angrier at her response. “And what would happen if one of us is injured??”

“I´m… I´m sorry sir…”

He sighed, trying to understand the woman´s plight, and searching for a way out of his problem. He brushed a hand through his hair as he spun around himself, searching for something that could help him. But as he found none, he sighed once more, and locked eyes with Lightning, who had been looking intently at him the whole time.

“How long has it been?”

“What are you talking about?”

He stomped towards her once more, anger peaking, and stroke the table on both sides of her, as his face came inches from hers, flushing with rage.

“The dislocated shoulder! What else?!”

Her eyes opened wide at his words and then looked down, ashamed of being found out.

“This… this morning.”

He harrumphed again but searched for her eyes. 

“Look kid, I´m just trying to help you. This is gonna hurt, but I know how to fix your shoulder.” She looked up at him, fear evident on her eyes at his words. “You´ve got to be strong, but you´ll be ok. I promise.” A pause, then. “Would you trust me?”

But the panicked eyes of the teen were mirrored by the nurse, who immediately put herself in between the Kingsglaive and the trainee.

“N-no, wait Sergeant! Sir! You don´t need to do this! I´ll make sure the doctor arrives to help!”

He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

“Oh, you shouldn´t worry, I can do this all by myself.”

“Oh yeah? How many times have you reduced a dislocated shoulder?”

“Well…” He mulled it over. “None, but I´ve seen how it´s done. And it´s easy.”

Lightning shivered. “I´d rather wait for the doctor to arrive, thank you.”

“You´re just being ridiculous.” He protested. “It´s not that hard. I can do it myself.”

“I said no.” Lightning pushed it.

“Then, if that´s how it´s going to be,” he answered angrily, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring daggers at the girl, “let me see the rest.”

“W-what?” She stuttered, her cheeks flushed.

He pushed the nurse aside, so his eyes were level to Lightning´s once again. “You know what I mean. While we wait for the doctor, let me see.”

Crowe arrived at that moment, and the battle of glares developed in front of her stopped her in her rush.

“What´s going on?” She asked the nurse but the woman only shook her head softly, as if scared that, if she dared to move, something bad would happen to all. Crowe then directed his questioning at Nyx, pushing him a little. “Nyx what´s going on? Why do you need me here?”

He ignored her, instead, his eyes, fixed on azure orbs, closed like slits.

“Let me see.” He repeated the order, his voice almost a whisper, but it only made him even more frightening.

“No.” Lightning stubbornly responded.

But Nyx didn´t miss a beat. “If you don´t show me, I´ll get you arrested for insubordination, and throw you off of the training program.”

Her eyes, still fixed on his blue ones, closed like slits too, as if daring him to proceed. He didn´t move, but he didn´t relent a single inch either.

“Show you?” Crowe was at a loss, and the tension was so unbearable, she knew she had to do something. “Nyx, please explain what does she have to show you?”

“She´s got a dislocated shoulder. And probably more.” At his words, the girl evidently blushed even redder, and finally lowered her eyes to the ground. “We´ll manage the shoulder, but we need to see the rest of the evidence.”

Crowe´s eyes opened wide in surprise at his revelation, and then understood and sighed. Now she knew the reason why her presence there was so necessary. She approached and kneeled in front of the girl, searching for her eyes. The woman spoke with the most conciliating tone she could muster.

“Please sweetie. Let us see. We want to help you.”

Lightning closed her eyes, fighting with all her might the tears of humiliation that were threatening to fall, and imagining the many painful ways she could end Nyx´s life after this. But she knew she had no way out, and mentally tried to reason to herself, thinking that probably, it would be for the best. The girl gathered her strength and, locking eyes with Nyx, as if daring him to make fun of her, she undressed herself from the waist up, mindful of her injured shoulder, only her bra was left to hide her intimacy. 

At the sight of her semi-naked body, the women gasped and Nyx cursed. 

There were many bruises of different colors and sizes gracing her bare torso and arms, a few were evidently fresh, but some others seemed rather old, and some were in the verge of vanishing. Nyx couldn´t take his eyes from them, and he could even notice a few large ones over her abdomen with the same coloring as the big one over her cheek, meaning they had appeared at the same moment.

“Who…?”

“This is what happens when you´re an orphan and try to make yourself a place among the adults.” Lightning spoke without emotion, and her voice sounded so much older, so much wiser, that it forced the man to look up and stare at the endless blue of her irises, trying to get a name.

“I can help you.” He gave a hesitant step forward, knowing how hard this moment could be for her. “If you just let me know who…”

“And since when have you ever cared about helping me?!” Lightning yelled at him at the top of her lungs, disgusted at his hypocrisy. She covered herself once more, as tears of anger and humiliation fell freely from her eyes. The strawberry blonde sobbed while she pushed herself off the table, and ran towards the door, shoving forcefully aside the stunned man that had exhibited her in such a horrible way.

“Lightning!” He tried to catch up to her, but Crowe stopped him.

“Let me try.”

He hesitated, looking out at the rushing teenager, but then nodded at his friend.

“Please, help her.” Crowe was about to take a sprint, but he took her by the arm.

“I´m sorry, Crowe… If I had suspected it sooner…”

She shook her head. “It´s not me the one you have to talk to. Don´t worry, I´ll do my best.” She tried to give him a reassuring smile and took off after the girl. Nyx had never felt more impotent in his whole life. 

Or rather, hadn´t felt like that for quite a while.

Lightning ran as fast as her legs would carry her, ignoring the dull pain on her ankle, as well as the rest of the pain, her tears now running as freely as her. She finally dropped herself at the far end of an alley, inhaling deeply as she tried her hardest to control her emotions. She couldn´t return home in the mess she was at the moment. Serah, her sister, couldn´t see her like this.

“Lightning?”

At hearing the approaching woman, the girl curled up on herself, hiding her face on her knees, while skinny arms wrapped her legs tightly.

“Leave me alone.” Crowe had to strain her ears to hear the muffled replied.

“We just want to help, sweetie. But we can´t do anything if you don´t help us first.”

“This is so humiliating.” She curled on herself even more. Crowe sat next to her, adopting almost the same position.

“I know. I understand.”

“How can you? You´re a Kingsglaive! How can you understand what I´m going through?”

Crowe smiled. “I´m an orphan too, you know?”

After a moment of silence, hesitant eyes ventured above their secured place. “You are?”

“Yes.” Crowe moved again and kneeled in front of her, taking the little hands on her own and pulling her up to stand. “As I said, we just want to help.”

Treacherous tears threatened to fall from her eyes again, but she forced them back angrily. “That´s a lie! Nyx Ulric wants nothing more than to take me out of the program! He said it himself!”

“He was just angry at the things he doesn´t understand.” Crowe tried to conciliate, rubbing her back. “But believe it or not, he wants to help you too, if you let us do it.”

Lightning looked away, still not convinced. “I don´t want to talk about it.”

“Then I promise I won´t ask anything you don´t want to tell me. Just let me be with you.”

“Why?” The girl still asked, disbelief plastered in her face.

Crowe smiled at the girl, happy she could say the words she once heard from her own Senpai. 

“Because you´re under Kingsglaive training. That means you got yourself a new family. You´re not alone anymore, Lightning Farron.”

Her words must´ve stroked a rather sensitive core, because Lightning´s eyes immediately filled with tears, and she threw herself into the Kingsglaive’s arms, crying all the sorrow, loneliness, pain, loss, and fear she had to endure in such a short age and in a very small span of time. Crowe held her and let her be, ignoring how much her shirt was getting wetter by the minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope there wasn´t too much angst. 
> 
> Well? What do you think? I promise there will be fighting scenes, just not right now. Hope you stay with me!


	3. The truth behind the injuries

Warning: This story contains scenes of improper language, bullying and genre violence. Thread with caution.

ooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo

Nyx had to do something. He just had to, or he would´ve never been able to live with himself again. Because Nyx Ulric was a protector. He was raised to be a protector, and the one single time he failed, his family was the one who paid the price. 

Never again. 

While in training, and after that, while in battle, he always stroke the hardest, jumped the highest, ran the fastest, so that he would become the guardian he was meant to be. So that he wouldn´t fail to save anyone ever again. That being the reason why he had earned the ‘hero’ moniker. He despised the name, actually, felt it was just a bad joke, mocking his true intentions, but he had corrected his friends all too many times already, so he didn´t care anymore.

But he had never felt a hero whatsoever.

Especially not now.

He had Lightning suffering through child abuse under his nose for almost a month now, and he had refused to see the evidence. Hell! He even thought she was street fighting to gain extra money! If something were to happen to her… something more serious, he meant, he would never be able to live in peace ever again. He kept on berating himself as he approached Lightning´s address (according to a friend who managed to sneak the information out of the recruitment office… the things that could be done with a little bit of money and the right connections). As he got nearer, he could see the building was a very old one, right in the middle of a very dangerous and poor neighborhood. He saw the streets littered with garbage, stray people, and beggars, as well as some groups of youngsters with highly doubtful reputation. The walls on the buildings were painted with intricate and most times rich language and drawings, one on top of the other, and he started to get worried.

This was definitely not a place for a girl to grow up properly and healthily.

A group of strays looked his way, and he began to wonder how smart he had been by coming all the way down here, and all by himself. Maybe he should´ve brought Libertus?

Too late for that.

The inside of the building was even worse. The smell was almost unbearable, the walls had lost all sense of painting; but at least, inside the building, the drunken and felons seemed to be left out. With the state of decay all around the neighborhood, Nyx wondered who would be strong, wild, or important enough to achieve such an act.

He finally reached apartment thirteen and noticed the door was quite old, the hinges worn and rusted, the wood on the door seems like a century old, but in spite of all that, it was at least clean. He knocked at the door, and, after a minute, he was met with a rounded face he had seen quite a lot lately.

Only, there seemed to be something odd about it.

The girl in front of him had bigger eyes and a darker hue of irises than the ones he related to Lightning, as well as a darker hue of pink hair, which was shorter, but at least still fixed in a sideways ponytail. She had a smaller, thinner frame, cheeks still keeping the rounded form of childhood. But still, he knew he wasn´t mistaken: the face, the long eyelashes, the pink lips, they all were still the same. 

“Yes?”

The voice had changed too, as one sweeter and gentler.

But…

But his brain must be deceiving him! Because what he was witnessing was definitely a very shorter version of his pupil.

“What can I do for you, Sir?”

The girl insisted and he hesitated.

“L… Lightning?”

The girl giggled at his confusion, covering her mouth with the back of a hand, and Nyx was stroke by a cold shiver. Since when Lightning was capable of making such a feminine gesture?

“Who is it, Serah?”

A thunderous male voice was heard behind her, on the far end of the apartment it would seem, and it was like a bulb had just turned on inside his head.

The sister! That´s right! 

He had never felt dumber before in his life.

The little girl was still giggling at his expense, (apparently going through his last train of thought as well) when she turned around and in front of him appeared a man as tall as Nyx, but almost four times broader, armed with a gentle smile on his rounded face (almost as round as Serah´s, he noticed too).

“What can I do for you, fine gentleman?” The man boomed at him.

“Are you Lightning´s father?” 

The man´s rounded face became grim.

“No, my good sir, I´d love to be, but I´m not. My name is Amodar. The girl´s father passed away a year ago. I´m Lightning´s Godfather, so I´m in charge of them. What can I do for you?”

Oh! The Lieutenant they mentioned before!

Nyx stood on attention and saluted his superior, suddenly all business.

“First Sergeant Nyx Ulric of Insomnia´s Army, Kingsglaive Division, commissioned as coach of the 11th generation of Kingsglaive trainees. At your service, Sir!”

“Oh! You´re Lightning´s superior. It´s good to finally meet you, my good Sir. Please, come in.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Amodar stepped aside to let him in, all the while the smile returning to his face, but at hearing his words, Serah´s own suddenly faltered. She chose to disappear at that moment, hiding in the kitchen.

Nyx entered the apartment, and even though it was a very small one, he could sense warmth and comfort all over. With very little (and very worn out) pieces of furniture, the place still felt cozy.

“Please take a seat, Sergeant, and make yourself comfortable.” The big man offered, while he walked towards the kitchen.

“Thank you very much, Sir, but I´d rather stand.”

Amodar eyed him at his refusal, but then just shrugged. “Suit yourself, my boy. Serah! Please bring us some coffee!” He yelled towards the kitchen and sat on the closest sofa in front of the younger man.

“So, what can we do for you, Sergeant Ulric? Is Lightning alright? I hope my goddaughter hasn´t been a nuisance to you.” Amodar pressed on.

“Actually, she´s the reason I´m here today, Sir, you´ll see…”

“Cut the ‘sir’ thing, son.” Amodar interrupted him, diminishing his words with a wave of his hand. “I´m already retired. But tell me, what has my little brat done this time?” He chuckled at his own joke, but the happiness in his face only made Ulric warier of him. How could he seem so friendly, and the next moment attack Lightning and injure her like that?

“Thank you, Sir, but we never stop being on the military, even after we retire. So please, don´t put me on that spot.”

Amodar winked at him and got comfy on the sofa. “You´re right, m’boy. Fine then, tell me, what has my little rainbows and sunshine done this time?”

“It´s not what she has done, but what has been done to her.”

At hearing the words, spoken with such gravity, Amodar´s face became suddenly serious, and he leaned forward, eager to listen.

“What do you mean?”

Nyx cleared his throat, forcing his emotions to be contained. 

“You see, every day she shows up at training brandishing a new injury, almost without fail, but refuses to address it. Today, the injury got even more severe. She showed up with a dislocated shoulder.” Amodar´s face became tomato red but remained expressionless, his body still yet to move, while Nyx was almost ready to jump against him, do to him what he had done to her. “I´m just her coach, I don´t mean to pry. But now she´s a Kingsglaive, and it´s my duty to help her and protect her, just as I would do any other of my Kingsglaive brothers.” The last words were said with an edge on them, flaring grey eyes piercing through brown ones, though the last were a mixture of disbelief and rage, Amodar´s posture so rigid the Kingsglaive could sense the heating violence emanating from every pore. 

For his part, Ulric was ready to pounce, ready to punish this man on behalf of Lightning, so he sent the last threat. “I won´t let anyone molest her or abuse her the way they had. I personally will see for them to be punished under…”

But he couldn´t finish his threat, since a sudden sound took both men´s attention towards the kitchen, and they both found Serah standing at the doorframe, hands shaking, while debris of what used to be two cups of coffee lied scattered at her feet.

“M-molested…? But… but she told me…” The girl couldn´t believe her ears, and though Amodar immediately rose from his spot to help her, her deep blue eyes remained fixed on Ulric´s astonished ones.

“You know something about this, don´t you?” Once he put the broken fragments on the closest furniture, Amodar kneeled in front of the girl and took her by the shoulders, very gently, but firm enough to let her know he wouldn´t allow her any respite if she weren´t to respond to his questioning. “What has she been telling you? Where did she get those injuries?”

Serah looked at Nyx, and a mixture of fear and anger passed through her eyes. “She always said, whenever I caught her coming home bleeding or complaining, that she got them on her training.”

Now it was Nyx the one with a feeling of outrage peaking.

“That´s a lie!” Amodar stood up and glared at him, his eyes evidently mirroring the ones the Kingsglaive had been sending his way a few moments ago, but Nyx only glared back at him, especially now that they, man and girl, were pointing the finger at him. “We are not that far off on the training, we´re doing exercises and that´s all. No close combat whatsoever. There´s no way those injuries could come from the activities on the training ground.”

At that very moment, the door of the entrance opened, and Lightning stepped in, her left arm covered and sheltered with a recently acquired cast. At the look of Amodar, she immediately paled, becoming paperwhite when she found Nyx Ulric standing in the middle of the small living room. Amodar stood in front of her, straightening his posture and crossing his arms over his chest, his frame even more imposing than ever.

“I think we need to talk, young lady.”

“Whatever he has told you it´s totally a lie!” She immediately retaliated, pointing an accusing finger at Nyx.

Amodar´s eyebrow rose in disbelief. “You don´t even know what he´s told me.”

“I think I can take a guess, and it´s still a lie.” 

Before Nyx could say anything to his defense, it was Serah the one jumping on the fry, blue eyes filled with unshed tears

“It´s you the one who was lying, Claire!!” At the mention of her true name Lightning flinched. “You said you were training! Never mentioned you were being molested!!”

Oooh, the dirty word. Lightning paled even more at this, at the implications. At the possible truth behind them, one she hadn´t considered before. 

“Who… who told you this?”

“Does it matter? You lied! You said you were ok! But you weren´t!” At the girl´s tears flooding freely, Lightning´s eyes searched for the floor, not finding the strength to hold her sister´s accusatory stare any longer. “Look at me, Claire! Please tell me it´s a lie! That you´re injured because you train a lot!” Lightning didn´t move, and Serah ran at her, hitting the taller girl´s shoulders, and even though it hurt her, the older sibling didn´t even try to stop her, and instead, put her healthy arm around the tiny and shaking shoulders, and Serah allowed her sister to collect her into her arms.

“I´m sorry, Serah… I didn´t want you to worry…”

“You´re so silly…” But Serah couldn´t say anything more, and instead, she allowed the elder sibling to try and comfort her, but also to hide from the future of a very serious talk with his godfather. After a moment of silence but for Serah´s sobs, Amodar walked around the two, taking Nyx by the arm.

“I think you should leave.”

“B-but… But I wanna do something.”

“You´ve done enough.”

As they walked towards the door, Nyx turned around and searched for the man´s eyes. “So… you´re not the one doing this to her?”

“Of course not! I promised his dad I´d take care of them both. I watched them grow, loved them like the daughters I never had. I would never lie a finger on them, but gladly will rip apart the soon-to-be dead man who did.” 

He smirked at his words, remembering their previous conversations. “I thought you were going to hit me.”

Amodar shook his head, a smirk in his own face, but the fire returning to his eyes.

“No, as you were telling me, I was picturing in my head what I was going to do… still going to do, to the one responsible for Light´s injuries.”

“That´s the same thing I want to do to them. I know is not the same as you, but what I said before is true. She´s a Kingsglaive now, she´s part of the ones I swore to protect.”

“I know.” 

But the broad man still hadn´t relinquished even for a bit the tight grip he had on the young man´s arm. As they trespassed the door, Nyx finally forced himself out of the grip and saw face to face the seriousness of the Lieutenant´s countenance, not knowing it was because the bigger man really meant to throw him out, or related to the talk he needed to have with the stubborn teenager. 

“Listen, I know you don´t like me. Heck. Lightning herself doesn´t like me. But I know I can help her. The only thing I want is for her to be alright.”

The Lieutenant sighed, the weight of his age finally getting on his shoulders. “Look, boy, I thank you for your concern about her well being, for you to come all this way for her, even when it meant you were accusing me of child abuse. I really appreciate your effort. But this fight is not yours to fight. It´s a family business.”

“You´re not family either.”

He smiled sadly at this. “I know.” With that, he closed the door on his face. 

oooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooo

Early next morning Libertus was running as fast as his round legs would carry him. He didn´t notice how exhausted he had ended up as a result of his newest mission, until he passed out on his bed and missed the alarm clock on his nightstand. He was cursing and berating himself as he ran corner after corner, still struggling with the buttons of his uniform when he almost collided against Crowe, both of them very close from hitting each other, but thanks to their respective reflexes, the worst was avoided.

“Crowe! What are you doing here?” He looked at his watch. “And at this hour! Aren´t you a little late?”

She dismissed him with a hand. “Don´t fret, big boy, I have the evening shift, so I´m a free spirit as of now.”

“So then, do you mind explaining why are you in full uniform?” he started walking, prompting her to follow.

She smirked at his questioning. “Well, I heard Nyx asked you again to help him with training the newbies, so I thought you might need some help on the ‘evil midget’, as Nyx calls Lightning.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “’Evil midget’? Just how many names has he given her?”

“I think half of the names she has given him if I count correctly.”

“Oh yeah? I asked and she denied everything. Where did you get your info?”

She rolled her eyes. “As if you didn´t know Nyx. But if the girl says she didn’t give him that many names, I believe her instead.”

“She does look like a devil, mind you.”

Crowe giggled at that.

“Yeah, I´ve just got a glimpse of that. But that means one of them is lying. Or maybe both?”

Libertus chuckled in response. He could perfectly well picture both of them accusing one another. “Well, just how many names, according to Nyx, did she give him? Care to share?”

“There are oh so many!” She snickered at his friend. “But I think the one Sparks likes the most is a simple ‘idiot’. According to him, it´s the one she uses more frequently.” 

“Well, you can´t deny it suits him.” They laughed a little more while they were approaching the back entrance of the Kingsglaive Forte, which got them nearest to the training grounds, instead of walking through the Forte´s bigger facilities, since the imposing shadow of Insomnia Castle, the building next to them and house of their Lucii King, always got on Crowe´s nerves, even though they were their closest neighbor… so to speak.

“By the way, Libertus, you never told me how your first day with the trainees had gone. Specifically, with Lightning.” Crowe asked, interest obvious in her brown eyes.

Libertus laughed at her words. He couldn´t guess her true intentions but perfectly understood her curiosity. “Well, you could say I liked it so much, that I eagerly accepted a second time.”

“Yeah, about that, why won´t Nyx be teaching again? Does he still hate her?” Crowe felt worried that Lightning´s outburst had injured the super inflated ego of her dear friend. It was bad since she knew now she would need Nyx´s help to try to find out what was happening to his pupil.

“No, no; this time it was something that came out for him.” Crowe raised a delicate eyebrow. “He got called by the King himself.”

“Oh? The King? How come?”

The man just shrugged. “Beats me, must be some kind of mission. But at least it gave me the opportunity to teach once again.”

As they approached the gates, Libertus was about to ask his friend about her knowledge of Lightning, when Crowe suddenly grew all serious.

“Libertus? Isn´t that…?”

He turned around and saw a flash of pink hair running fast on the other side of the street, avoiding (sometimes) the collision against people. And right behind her, a group of 5 teenagers, running as fast and desperate as her. Evidently after her.

“That´s… that´s Lightning alright! She should be on the training grounds already! Why isn´t she?” But his words were met with silence, so he turned around, and his friend´s countenance made him worry. “Crowe?”

Her eyes were fixed on the runaway group of teens, and at the sight, something evidently clicked inside her head, because her eyes suddenly opened up in astonishment, as dread and understanding found their way on her brain.

“Crowe? I know that look on your face. What are you thinking?”

“I think you won´t like it, my friend.”

“Uh?”

The woman took a sprint towards the fleeing teenagers, while at the same time she pulled at the man´s sleeve, prompting him to follow. “There´s something you should know, but for now, just trust me.” She took out her cell phone and dialed one number, her heart making summersaults. 

I hope I´m wrong.

oooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooo

Nyx was rather nervous at the moment, thinking he should be looking after Lightning, finding the reason for her injuries, instead of waiting for the King to summon him. The idea of her street fighting was now at the top of possibilities inside his head, and catching her in the act, in the lie, had almost become an obsession to him.

At least she was not a molested child.

Having found out she was safe, and instead, being more of a crazy little brat, brought a lot of ease into his heart… but still, there was this nagging feeling inside his belly that wouldn´t leave him alone. He had wanted to wake up very early in the morning, and stay waiting at Lightning´s neighborhood only to find out what here extracurricular activities were. Nyx knew she had to be fighting at the break of dawn because the bruises and the blood were always fresh when he had caught her injured. 

But today he had been summoned for something he had asked before. And he had wanted to be appointed to this Advanced Training Program for so long… damn! What timing! He had asked for the audience with the King to expose the reasons why he was the best man they could send to the Program, so he had been waiting to be summoned at His presence for two months now, and they decided to call him now? Why now! Why today? 

“You´re gonna make a hole on the floor if you keep walking in circles, and it´s quite expensive, mind you. Besides, you´re making me nervous.” Titus Drautos was standing in front of him. As his superior officer, it was his responsibility to deliver him to the higher ranks. A responsibility he despised almost every day.

“I need to go out, Drautos. I can´t wait.”

“It was you who requested this. Now you don´t want it?” The man scoffed at him, shaking his head. “You´re free to leave anytime you want, though. It´s your call.”

Nyx was ready to take his leave, but the aloof attitude of his superior officer made him weary.

“It will only mean you´ll sign Pelna into the Program, and that´s not fair. I´m the one who´s worked more than him. The one who deserves it.”

Drautos only shrugged, a smirk on his countenance, one that Nyx wished could wipe out with a kick.

“As I said, your call.”

He was about to spat a few words to the man when a call entered his cellphone.

“Nyx here.”

“You know you´re forbidden to bring one of those into these chambers.” Drautos scolded him, but Nyx gave him the finger.

‘You´ve got to be here now, Nyx.’

Crowe´s voice on the other side of the line sounded desperate. But taking a look at Drauto´s finger pointing ominously at his neck made him sigh. “I´m in a rather tight situation here, Crowe. Can´t you handle it? Or ask Libertus to help you out?”

‘It´s about Lightning.’ Her voice became a bit more agitated, but for some reason, not as agitated as he suddenly felt after her words. ‘I think I know what´s been going on with her. But we need you here.’

“Where are you?”

“You should hang up that cell phone, Ulric.” Drautos gave a step forward, intent on taking the device off Nyx´s hands. “You´re gonna get us both punished.”

“I´m sorry, Sir. But I must take my leave.”

Drautos raised an eyebrow. “You know of the consequences of leaving this place, right?”

At that moment, Clarus Almicitia, the King´s Shield, came out of the Throne Chamber.

“Okay, Drautos, where´s this young Kingsglaive who wanted an audience with our Majesty?”

Both men turned their eyes towards Nyx´s form, and he bowed at the look of the Legendary Shield, but not relenting for a second his hold on the cell phone.

“I´m sorry, Sir. My greatest apologies, but I´m urgently needed somewhere else.” Without taking one single glance back, Nyx took a sprint towards the exit, his heart running even faster than him.

“I´m so sorry, Sir.” Drautos bowed too, ashamed of his Kingsglaive´s actions. “The retreating man is Nyx Ulric. My biggest headache.”

“Was that… was that a cell phone? In here?” Clarus was still astonished by the man´s sudden departure, but a burst of thunderous laughter behind him took him out of his shock.

“You must remember him, my dear friend, Clarus.” It was King Regis coming out of the Throne Chamber, and who still managed to witness the fleeing form of the young man. “He was the one who saved Lunafreya a few months ago. And yes, like Commander Drautos here perfectly described, he is one big headache.” 

“Oh.” Is all the Shield managed to say, and the King clapped his back, while he passed by him, slow, heavy steps accompanied by the echo of his metallic cane.

“You´re getting old, my dear friend.”

Clarus smirked. “You know I´m younger than you, my King. So, let´s not dwell on that.”

As the King got at the level of Drautos, the man kneeled in front of him. Still, with a voice full of mirth, King Regis addressed the Commander. 

“As soon as your Kingsglaive is done with the thing that has him so worked up, sent him back to the gardens to meet me. I´d love to hear what he´s up to.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

Drautos stood up and took his leave after bowing to both men, not noticing the swift, but significant glance the King and his Shield had shared. Before the Commander traversed the intricate doors leading to the lounge of the Throne Room, the Shield took a glance at his King, whose nod, imperceptible to the rest of the world, would never pass unnoticed by the closest man he had. Without wasting any more time, Clarus Almicitia walked purposefully out of the chambers too.

ooooooOOOOOOOOOooooooo

Lightning was running as fast as she could, considering her injured ankle and shoulder. She wished she could rip off the cast on her arm, as she couldn´t run as fast as she usually was able to. As fast as she needed to. She shouldn´t be running, should be facing them with pride. But for the love of her, if she couldn´t stop them, four stupid kids, from beating her up, with her body and abilities at their top, how in the world would she be able to stop five dudes, with an injured ankle and an immobilized shoulder? 

“Come here!! Stop her!! Stop her!!”

She could hear them running behind her, and terror made her feel their hands brushing her back, searching for something to grab onto, to stop her desperate sprint. But no matter how hard the pull of the need of looking back was grabbing at her fear, she forced herself with all her will not to turn around and take a glance, knowing it would diminish her speed. 

“Catch her!!”

She got even more desperate because her left arm felt like dead weight for her frantic sprint, and thus decided to rip off the bandages that kept it entrapped. As she had feared, the action made her slow her speed, and with absolute horror felt one of the hands grabbing her by the arm.

“Got her!”

She spun on her own axis and sent a direct kick on the boy´s groin, the immediate response of her arm being freed, and Lightning took the sprint with renewed strength, as the rest of the teen’s peers extend their hands to grab her. Only, this time, with both arms free, even if one of them was hurting, she was faster. Way faster than them.

Unbeknownst to her, though, they would get help from a third party.

As she quickly passed by a store, a man extended his foot her way, forcing her to trip over, and she fell hard onto the ground, the inertia of her sprint making her body roll over the pavement, breaking a few signs and signboards along her trail.

“What did she do? What did you do, little brat?”

The man who had stopped her loomed over her, as she was trying to get her bearings; as fast as her namesake, she stood up and pushed herself forwards. But it was already too late: with the aid of the man the teens had finally reached her.

“Thank you so kindly, good Sir!” One of the teens, a blond, the tallest of them, bowed at the man, while the others entrapped her by her arms and feet.

“What did she do? Did she steal something?”

“Yeah, this little bitch stole my grandma´s purse,” the blonde explained. “So, my brothers and I promised her we would take her purse and the wrench back for some revenge- err, punishment. And thanks to you, justice will be served.”

The man smiled at the praise. “Well, good. This city is filling with thugs and bandits all around. Is good to know young people like you and your brothers are willing to do something against it.” The man nodded again and took his leave, not noticing the devilish smirk from the teen, while Lightning trashed and kicked, trying to take a bite, to land a kick, to free herself, but to no avail.

“Hurry up Mossberg!” one of the teens holding Lightning called for the blond one, “this bitch moves like a cat turned upside down! She´s too strong!”

“Stop whining. We´ve got her. That´s all that matters.”

“What are we going to do now?”

“Oh. I´ve got a few ideas. But first, let´s take her someplace more private.”

The private place turned out to be quite around the corner, a very small, dark, and dirty alleyway. All the way Lightning tried to hurt any of them, but five male teenagers were just too much, even for her.

“Let me go!!” 

But for all the cursing and kicking the only response she got was laughter and snickering from the boys, who, at the count of three, slammed her back hard against the brick wall. Fortunately for her, her head was spared, but not her back, with the result of her expelling forcefully all the air in her lungs. She tried to kneel, to gain some air, but the taller teen took her by the hair and forced her to look up, to look straight into his eyes.

“So, hey brat. Here we are again. Why didn´t you want to talk with us? You offended me with your cold behavior. You know that I care for you.”

“I think this is hardly related to the times where you thought you could beat me, Mossberg.” In spite of her plight, Lightning still spat at him, contempt in her countenance. “Five against one. Tch, you´re really upping our game.” She was afraid, terrified because the guy had become more violent with every event. But there was no way she´ll ever let him know of her fear. So, she transformed her fear into rage, into a hatred she hoped she could convey through her glare.

“Psh, you think I can´t beat you with four of my guys? You can barely stand on your feet.”

“I meant it should be just you and I in a fair fight, dick-head. I´ve started to notice you´re getting more afraid of me since I see more of your ‘guys’ every time you want to compare strengths against me. Tell me, are you so coward that you´re so sure you won´t win in a one-on-one battle?”

At her insult, one of the teens holding her in place slapped her on the face, opening a cut on her cheek. Mossberg pushed him hard on the shoulder.

“Don´t be stupid! Not in the face or we´ll be screwed!” But in spite of his words, he took a good look at her blood and licked his lips. 

She looked up defiantly at him. “Why? Do you have a boner every time you see me like this, asshole?”

They opened up their eyes at her words, expecting him to slap her, to do something, but instead, the blonde laughed out loud, so loud even Lightning thought he had lost his mind.

“Stupid girl, do you even know what that word means?”

Lightning hesitated for a moment. “Emh… of course I know, moron!”

He laughed a bit more, realizing he had caught her in a lie, and then doubled over himself, bringing his face inches from hers, while with his hand over her jaw he forced her to look straight at him. He didn´t need to, Lightning´s eyes were fixed on her enemy, but the tight grip on her skin showed her his ill intention to hurt her.

“I don´t want Sensei Ulric to suspect anything. That´s the reason why.” He released her and straightened his pose, still interrogating her. “What happened there, bitch? I mean at the infirmary. Did you spill the beans with the Sensei about us? Are you a crying little girl as I thought you were?”

“The only crying little coward in here is you, Mossberg, I´m not the one sending for thugs to fight against a little girl, because you´re too afraid to do so yourself.” 

He hit her on the stomach as retaliation, and she doubled over herself, coughing. 

“You should show more respect to the one who has your life in his hands.” 

With the girl still panting, he took her by her hair and forced her to look up, but once she did, she spat at him, leaving a crimson and goo stain now on his cheek. Angered, he hit her harder on the stomach, leaving her breathless again, and this time Lightning did double over herself almost completely, coughing and gasping. Watching her like that, almost kneeled in front of him, made Mossberg´s blood boil in an emotion he couldn´t contain, so he ordered his friends to let her go, but before she got to the floor, he kicked her again, forcing her to roll on the ground, clutching her abdomen.

“Hahaha, this is so much fun!” 

Once she was lying on the ground, one of the teens tried to kick her, but she stopped the offending foot with both hands and retaliated by sending a powerful kick directed to his tender parts. The boy doubled over, almost landing beside her, an explosion of pain embedded in his brain, while his friends laughed heartily at him. Lightning tried to crawl away from them, but two of the teens took her by the legs and dragged her backward, her fingernails scratching the pavement, as they forced her to turn around and then grabbed her arms, holding her in a supine position.

“It´s time for me to show you who really is the boss here, bitch.”

There, that was the look that had Lightning so terrified of someone lacking so much skill. The Mossberg boy leered at her form, his eyes full of a shine that, for a reason she couldn´t comprehend, made her feel chills on her spine. 

“You wanted to know what a boner is?” Mossberg´s eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, his countenance that of an insane man, while his hands went straight to his belt, fingers pulling clumsily at it, anticipation making his heartbeat quickening and his breathing ragged. “Well, I´ll show you first hand what a really good boner is.” 

The moment the teen unbuttoned his pants, understanding snapped Lightning out of her incredulity, and she finally comprehended his true intentions.

Sheer terror traversed throughout her body.

Lightning again kicked and trashed, trying her hardest to free herself, managed to hit one of the teens, to bite another one until she drew blood, but every time she felt she was released, they all contained her again, limiting her movements, exposing her body, and her eyes opened wide at seeing Mossberg so close to her, on top of her, so she took the plunge, shoved herself forwards with all the strength she had, to take a bite of the teen´s nose, making him wail in pain, as she felt warm liquid dampening her neck and a metallic taste filled her mouth. But as the guy forced her backward, one of the teens took her by the forehead and slammed her head on the floor, making her vision blurry.

“That… that…! Aaarggh!” Mossberg was out of his mind, pain and anger clouding his thoughts. “I´ll make her pay for this!! Take her pants off! Now!!”

“N… No…” But Lightning was too dizzy to defend herself, her hands clumsily trying to shove off the ones pulling at her clothes. She couldn´t even scream this time, her brain felt like embedded in a dense cloud.

But Lightning couldn´t know she wasn´t on her own anymore.

Nyx Ulric arrived at that moment, and held the Mossberg kid in a choking hold, while he whispered in his ears, his tone dangerous.

“And why the hell are all of you here, instead of being at class?”

The teen´s eyes opened wide in horror at hearing his voice. Nyx used all his strength to throw the boy against the wall and then ran fast to kick and punch the teens holding Lightning captive, his blood boiling in sheer rage, wanting nothing more but to punish these thugs into oblivion. He recognized a couple of them from his own class, but the other three were faces he had never seen before. And that gave him reason enough to be as ruthless as he could. The guys had little opportunity to retaliate, so they chose to do the smartest thing they could´ve done: they remained on the ground, defeated, not wanting to face the wrath of someone so powerful. But Nyx was not done yet.

He turned around and noticed Mossberg was trying to take a run, so Nyx threw his beloved knife towards the boy, which embedded itself on the floor in front of him, the teen stopping in dread, and immediately after, in a blaze of purple fire, Nyx appeared in front of him, rage still flaring inside gray eyes.

“What have you done, Moss? What were you trying to do?” As if to reinforce his words, Nyx pointed his blade towards the kid, who peed in his pants at the magnificently monstrous eyes of his mentor.

“N-nothing sensei! We were… we were just having fun!”

It would seem the words only made Nyx even angrier, and the kid almost cried at feeling the choking grab of the man, who slammed him hard against the wall. 

“You will never, ever again hurt a woman like that. You can fight them, defeat them, but never rape them. Understood?”

“Y-yes… yes, sir!”

“No…” Nyx´s eyes flared again. “I think you didn´t understand.” He raised his blade up above him and the teen closed his eyes, yelling in a not-so-masculine fashion.

“Nyx! Stop!”

Crowe and Libertus had finally arrived, and at the look of them, Nyx threw the boy to the ground. “Take this trash to the police. He deserves nothing more but jail. As well as the others…” As he turned to address the rest of the teens, he noticed they were running away, heading towards the other exit. Nyx smirked at their futile attempt, and, with two warping jumps, he stood in front of them, blocking their path. 

“Going somewhere?”

He kicked them on the stomach, incapacitating them, and stood there until Libertus arrived with him. 

“These too were participating in their little orgy. Please make sure they get to be at the Police Station. I want to know they pay for what they did.”

“Lightning is injured, Nyx, what will we do?” Crowe yelled at him from the other end, while she managed to contain a terrified Mossberg.

“I´ll take care of her. Please, Libertus. I want them punished.”

“And they will be, my friend.”

Nyx smiled sadly at his friend and returned to Lightning´s side, who was lying sideways on the floor, moaning and yet to recover, her hands clenching painfully her head.

“It´s okay, Sparks, I´m here.”

“N-Nyx…?”

“Yeah, kiddo. You´re safe now. I won´t leave your side.”

She felt still dizzy, wanting to vomit, her head feeling like about to explode, but in spite of that, she still scoffed at him. “I don´t… I don´t need your help. I have it… all under control.”

He smirked at her but still collected her petite body in his arms, ready to take her to the closest hospital.

“Sure you do, Sparks. It really looked like it.”

“Tch… I think I told you to… leave me alone.”

“No, you didn´t.”

She pushed him by the shoulders, trying to free herself, but evidently still her brain not completely gathering her strength.

“Well… I´m telling you now.”

“So, you want to walk all the way to the hospital, then? Because you´ve got a concussion, so that´s the only place you´re gonna go the next couple of hours. And the walk is rather long.”

She remained silent for a moment, and then, grunting in anger, just adjusted herself on his arms.

“Tch… I´m only letting you carry me because I´m going to throw up… and I hope with all my heart I puke on top of you…”

“That´s my girl.”

“I´m not your girl.”

He still laughed at her words but walked as fast as he could, his heart feeling heavy for the recent events… and at the feeling of tiny fingers gripping hard, almost with desperation, the leather of his jacket. 

As they passed by him, paying no heed to his presence, Libertus scratched the back of his head watching Nyx´s retreat, thousands of questions forming in his head, but not knowing which one to ask first. So, he turned to look at his other partner.

“I get the feeling you both are hiding something from me…” 

Crowe, forcing the Moss kid to accompany her to the level of her friend, chuckled at his words.

“No, pal, not hiding, though you´re right that there´s information you don´t have, in our defense, everything happened so fast, we hadn´t had the opportunity to tell you. Don´t worry, though. Let´s deliver these thugs to the authorities and I promise you I´ll tell you everything there is to know.”

“With a beer in between?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah dude, whatever you need.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m sorry for this chapter being rather… dark… and aggressive, but I´ve been reading about women´s rights and the types of violence and… Well. I honestly believe we should be grateful for living in the countries we live in, and the ages we were born, where female rights are protected mostly, while there were times (and even nowadays places) that women suffered for the way they were treated. But the truth is, there´s still a lot to be done.  
> There are still women suffering from intrafamily violence.  
> There are still women being subjected to sexual abuse.  
> There are still women being killed because of both.  
> And I know men suffer the same too, but the difference in numbers is quite overwhelming.  
> I read something a few months ago that I love, and it goes like this: “feminism is the revolutionary idea that women´s safety is more important than men´s needs” or something like that. Well, this is my contribution to ask for all that violence to be stopped. To really begin to think that men and women can perfectly coexist with each other, respecting one another. Because that´s the only way synergism can exist, which is the most powerful force on earth.
> 
> A shout out to a fantastic friend! Thank you, Andy Farron! If it weren´t for you, this baby wouldn´t be half as good as it came out! (well, I don´t know what you think of it, but I actually liked it, hehehe, and it´s all thanks to your help!).


	4. Hospital confessions

“So… you want me to get in there?”

Lightning, with a cast on her left arm, a few Band-Aids on her cheek, and a few stitches on her head, felt very, oh-so-very uncomfortable with the hospital gown the nurse had procured for her, especially because she was almost completely naked right underneath it (well, she still had her panties on, but it still felt like naked), and even felt wearier she had to go around the hospital sitting in a wheelchair as if she couldn´t walk, and what had been the worst part, was the ‘run-run-wheeee’ sounds Nyx had been making ever since he took the handles of such wheelchair. Would someone please tell her how old the guy was again? Ten?? Well, being honest, maybe all those hits he had received in his battles had finally destroyed part of his brain matter. Yep, that had to be it.

But returning to the issue at hand…

“That´s an MRI scanner, sweetheart, it won´t hurt you.”

“It looks like a big doughnut, Sparks, don´t you like a doughnut?”

Please someone kill her. Or, here´s a better thought. Someone, please kill him.

“That´s not a doughnut, moron, that´s a freaking terrifying machine ready to swallow me whole.”

The nurse rolled her eyes once more. “Of course it´s not, sweetie, it´s going to…ah…take pictures of your brain.” 

“My brain is perfectly fine, thank you.”

“No, it´s not, it´s…”

But the nurse couldn´t finish the sentence, since Nyx spun the wheelchair to face him, and then kneeled in front of the stubborn girl.

“Look, Sparks.”

“The name is Lightning.”

“Whatever. Look, if you don´t get inside that machine by your own free will, we will all have to hold you down, they´re going to put needles inside your arms (and mind you, it hurts a lot more than the stitches in your head), and then make you sleep, so you´ll be totally defenseless against us and, who knows? Maybe we´ll take advantage of that and do a few more tests that will make you uncomfortable everywhere on your tiny whiny body once you wake up. How does that sound?” After finishing his words, he sent her the sweetest (and most creepy) smile he could muster.

Lightning paled at his words and looked at the nurse who, obviously, nodded at her, agreeing soundlessly to every word he had said. The bitch. The small pinkette gulped at the mental images his words had created, but swallowed hard and clenched the wheelchair harder than ever, knuckles white for the effort. 

But she was named Lightning for a reason. No matter the situation, she always won. Something. Anything.

“Okay, fine, but you´ll have to stop calling me Sparks.”

“What?? No way!”

“Then forget it.”

“Fine. Nurse!”

“Okay! Fine! Fine! I´ll do it if you stop saying that horrible name for a month!”

“An hour.”

“A week!!”

“A day.”

“Two days and that’s final.”

He looked intently at the nurse, who was now covering her mouth, giggling.

“Your call, missy.” He made the move to rise from his spot. “Please, miss nurse, proceed.”

“Okay, fine!” Lightning took Nyx by the arm to stop him, and pulled him again in front of her, giving him the best glare she could muster. “A freaking day! Geez, you can be so childish sometimes!” 

He winked at her. “We have a deal, girl.”

The immediate, radiant and triumphant smile Nyx mustered made Lightning want so much to kick him in the groin, but thought against it, because he could be so mad it would make him go away and just leave her there, all by herself. In reality, she still appreciated that he had remained by her side all the time when he didn´t have to.

Not that he was ever going to hear that from her mouth.

The pinkette stood up, her posture rigid and her chest puffing in pride, at least as much as she could with the few broken ribs still hurting; Lightning walked purposefully to the entrance of the machine, and as she passed by the threshold of the MRI, her exposed flesh was met by a powerful chill coming from the inside of the room, the air conditioner torturing her like never before. The inside smelled of medicine and antiseptics, and the deafening sound all around the metallic box sent goosebumps down her back. The walls were painted all white, and the lights were shining so bright, the overall ambient blinded her, making her feel as if she were on the spot, everybody´s eyes glued to her every move. It felt as if she were a testing subject ready to be dissected. She gulped again at the thought and prompted by the nurse behind her, got over the table of the machine, eyeing warily the big round artifact, as if it were a type of monster ready to swallow her whole.

It was such a childish thought, and she knew it. But as much as she tried to reason her situation, neither her heart would stop jogging, nor her mind would stop torturing her.

Please… don´t explode on top of me…please tell me it doesn´t hurt…too much…please tell me I´ll see Serah again…

She sent a glance towards the window and saw Nyx giving her the thumbs up. She was feeling so scared, she couldn´t even gather the will to even make a face at him. So instead she just broke eye contact, without uttering a single word, least she lost all her courage and took a sprint towards him, running away from the freaking machine. 

Her silence and overall lack of response at his antics astonished Nyx to no end, and he looked up to see the girl through the TV camera monitoring her every move, and that allowed him to have a very good look at her face. He couldn´t stop registering in his brain those big blue eyes, so evidently full of fear, the thin line of her tightened lips, her countenance that of a person going to the gallows, awaiting the promise of sheer agony. Or death. Lightning was evidently scared beyond impossible and was facing all that fear all by herself. 

Once more.

“I want to go in.” He immediately spoke, giving a step forward, but a palm stopped him in his tracks. It was one of the technicians.

“Don´t worry, sir, she´s going to be fine. It will take but a couple of minutes.”

“But she´s all alone and scared in there.”

“I said not to worry.” The technician said, half his attention on him, half on the machine.

“Why can´t I be in there?” Nyx insisted, watching anxiously the camera portraying those scared puppy orbs. Lightning wasn´t the type of girl that made puppy eyes for no reason whatsoever. She was afraid, and he had promised himself he would do anything to prevent her from being scared ever again.

“It´s dangerous, you can´t go inside because there are metallic objects in your uniform, and you could end up glued to the walls because of the power of the magnets.”

“What if I stand there all naked?”

The technician glared at him. “You could, but it´s forbidden to be naked, sir. You could stand inside if you wear a bathrobe too, but as I said you shouldn´t worry, the girl is going to be fine.”

Nyx fell silent at his words, retreated to the corner of the room, and then fixed his eyes on the monitors, to Lightning’s terrified face, his body now motionless, apparently giving up on his demands. The moment everyone returned their eyes towards the window and the flat panels, taking their attention off of him, he swiftly and silently undressed but for his boxers, and, using the speed he was famous for, took a sprint towards the entrance, right before the technician closed the door. Nyx used the advantage of surprise and pushed him backward, closing the doors himself, and ran as fast as he could to Lightning´s side, taking her hand.

“I´m here Sparks.”

“Nyx?”

“Yeah, I´m here.”

She moved her head a bit, in order to get a better view of him, but just barely, since her head was already entrapped with strips and equipment all around it.

“Why the hell are you naked??”

“They said I couldn’t be inside if I wore my uniform.”

“Then why are you here!?”

“To accompany you.”

“Who told you I needed your company?”

“You looked very scared, so I came.”

She felt her blood boil at his words. “Geez, thank you, Ulric, could you say it a little louder? I think they didn´t hear you in the rest of the hospital.”

He noticed she didn´t deny it. “Oh, C´mon, Sparks! Don´t be such a drama queen! And you’re welcome.”

And here she thought she couldn´t be angrier. “You promised you wouldn´t call me that name.”

“Oh, right. Then what should I call you?”

“Lightning.”

“How do your friends call you?”

“You´re not my friend.”

“Hey!” He finally raised his voice at her aggressive tone. “Cut me some slack here! I´m the one standing naked and freezing only to root for you! But if you want me to, I´ll go right away.”

“Tch…” She didn´t say anything else, but her fingers clutched Nyx´s hand harder. Just in case.

“Sir, you´ll have to come out, you´re not allowed to be in there.” It was the voice of the technician calling him through the speakers.

“Yeah? Make me.”

“We´re gonna call the police to come for you.”

“I said make me!” He yelled daringly, but still giving a step closer to Lightning´s body.

Said small pinkette felt his tremors running down his body, and began to worry about his well being. After a moment of thinking it through, she sighed. She didn´t want to be alone, and she did appreciate his efforts. But, for the love of Etro, Lightning didn´t want either to be the reason for him getting in trouble, so she tried to make him come to sense. 

“Nyx, you´re trembling, I can feel you shaking. Please, just obey them. You shouldn´t worry about me, I´ll be fine.” 

Indeed he was quivering profusely and felt terribly dumb by being there, breaking simple rules as if he were throwing a tantrum, semi-naked in front of many strangers, and inside this freaking refrigerator. His fingertips felt numb, except for the ones that the pinkette was holding. But if Lightning needed him, he would do whatever it took to be there for her. He was going to make sure he wouldn´t fail this little lady who had entrusted him her only way to survival, a trust he had blown fantastically by being an ass of a teacher. Well missy, never again.

With clattering teeth, he just squeezed her fingers harder.

“I´m not leaving without you.” He closed his eyes and tried to block the freezing temperature, just like they had taught him to do in the academy.

At that moment the female doctor who had checked Lightning a few moments ago, a neurologist, Nyx had heard, entered the room and walked purposefully towards the man.

“I said I´m not leaving without her.” He fixed his ankles to the ground, ready to stop whoever would dare to try. Even her. But she only threw a bathrobe at his chest and what seemed to be her jacket.

“I know you won´t, but your trembling will transmit through her hands and give us some artifacts to the image of her brain. I need a good study, otherwise, we´ll have to repeat it. So put this on or I´ll cancel it and we´ll get both of you to sleep, without your consent. Besides, you´re distracting us all.” She winked at him and took a swift glance downwards at his body, making him blush at the innuendo, and his hand immediately went to cover his groin.

“Nyx?” Lightning called his attention.

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Your hand suddenly became warm.”

The blushing intensified, but he just let her hand go, in anger at her words and to put the clothes he had been given, so that he wouldn´t freeze to death. Still, he verbally retaliated at her unbeknownst teasing.

“Just shut up, midget.” 

For the insult whose origin she couldn´t comprehend, Lightning threw a kick towards the man, unfortunately, a not so well calculated one, since she didn´t know he had moved away from her, thus it landed right on his tender parts, making a crushing sound.

“Ooouuuufff!!”

“Nyx!!??” Lightning immediately realized her mistake, having crushed quite a good amount of tender parts in her history, and almost got up from the bed, if it weren´t for the restrains she had.

“Stop moving, girl!” the speakers inside the room allowed them to know the technician was very, very angry, “…or I´ll make sure you both pay for this!”

Lightning returned to her position, blushing and worried for her coach.

“Nyx? Are you… are you alright?”

“Yeah…” He said, almost breathless, trying to preserve his dignity, but taking her hand again. “Don´t worry about me… you actually… missed…” He was doubled over himself, jacket already on him, and clutching his groin with his free hand in hopes of diminishing the pain.

“I´m sorry, Nyx. I didn´t mean to hurt you…at least no that bad.”

“It´s okay, kiddo… my… balls are made of steel. I barely felt it…” he breathed in and out deeply, as he finally managed to sit on the chair next to her.

“You sound bad.”

“It´s because it´s cold… in here.”

She smiled softly, clutching his hand harder.

Such an idiot. But the idiot at least made her feel safe.

“My friends call me Light.”

He looked up, surprised, and then smiled at her. “I thought I wasn´t your friend.”

“Just shut up or I´ll forbid you to call me that too.”

ooooooooOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo

A few hours later, Lightning was already in her hospital room, a very small four-walled square with a single bed, a single nightstand, a tiny bathroom, a sofa next to her bed, and a small flat TV. 

At least is not painted white. 

Being considered still a child had its ups, it seemed. At least the walls were painted with different colors, this time light orange, as well as the curtains, plus, she didn´t mind having princesses and dragons plastered all around the room. They made the place a little bit comfier. To be honest to herself, Lightning still enjoyed those shows, so in a way, having this imagery around her, made her feel more at home. The window was big, which allowed a lot of sunlight to enter, and a lot of wind to pass by. It somewhat comforted her. But the downside of the room, besides not being hers and lacking the presence of her sister, was the huge windows on the other side of the wall, ones that allowed a perfect view from the hallway.

She felt like she was in the zoo, she being one of the animals on display.

And here on your left, we have a very weird species, almost in the brick of extinction, a Lightning, subclass, Farron…

“So, what happened to Amodar?”

“Mmmh…?” Nyx´s voice broke her daydreaming. Not that she minded. She was getting rather angry at the thought.

“I´m asking, what happened to Amodar? Why wasn’t he accompanying you to the training grounds? With all his bravado display, I thought he had stayed with you and wouldn´t let you out of his sight.”

The small pinkette sighed and passed a hand through her pink locks. That was a thought she really didn´t want to remember.

“He did.”

“Did what? Accompany you?”

“More than accompanying me, he followed me thinking I didn´t notice, trying to find out what I was doing, I´m sure.”

He smirked. Those had been his exact intentions if it weren´t for the King´s summon. “Then why wasn´t he with you when Mossberg and his gang attacked you?”

Silence. Nyx knew it wasn´t a good sign, but Lightning refused to speak up, as much as Nyx refused to give up.

“You outran him. That it?”

The teen opened up her eyes wide, surprise evident on her countenance.

“How did you…?”

The man just smiled. “Let me remind you I once was a teenager too.” Nyx became serious immediately. “I´m sure you understand the meaning of this. You fooled him, your very own Godfather, and as a consequence, you got yourself pretty injured, almost to a serious level. What will you tell him?”

Lightning hung her head, hiding her face behind her palm. A headache was forming due to this conversation. But she knew it had to happen. They had already contacted Amodar, most surely, he was going to arrive sooner than later.

“Light?”

“I don´t wanna talk about it. Can we change topics instead?”

“Like what?”

“I dunno, what will you get me for breakfast? Because this dinner surely sucks.”

He chuckled.

“Okay, what about telling me why Mossberg was bothering you? Why did he try to… you know… And since when has he been trying?”

She moaned at his words and hid her face in the pillow. “Do I have to answer that?”

“No. You don´t.”

She lowered the pillow and looked at him, surprised by his response, but the man just winked at her and turned to look out the window.

“It´s you the one who decides whom you trust, I´m gonna respect that and not gonna pry. I only want to know if I could´ve done something to help you out.”

“You´re not everybody´s hero.” She stated, almost deadpanned. 

He chuckled lightly at that. Oh, how many times had he heard such a phrase? It still felt weird to hear it from a teenager.

“Yeah, I try to remind myself so everyday. But that´s how I am, I guess. Can´t erase that part.”

They stood in comfortable silence for quite a while, until Nyx rose from his spot.

“Well, kiddo, are you settled then?”

She hesitated. “Yes… why?”

“I´m still not sure whether I should abandon you, but I really need to go find some dinner for myself, hadn´t eaten since this morning.”

“You are leaving?” Abandoning me?? Her heart skipped a beat. Such a child she had become! To preserve her dignity, in spite of her anxiety, she forced herself to remain seated. 

But he had learned how to sense her anxiety pretty well. 

“It´ll be just for a moment, Light. I promise. Besides, Amodar already answered your call, I´m sure he´s on his way here. Poor guy was out of his mind when he found out you were at the hospital, instead of on training grounds.”

“Yeah… I guess.” Guilt was something she wasn´t used to, and something she didn´t like. It seemed that lately, though, it was the only thing she was feeling. At her silence, Nyx gave a few steps towards the exit, but Lightning, not knowing how else to stop him, yelled at him.

“Mossberg was the reason why I asked you to train me.”

At her words, her confession, Nyx froze on his spot and slowly turned to look at her, sadness and guilt in his countenance.

“I know. At least, I figured as much. And you have no idea how much I regret we didn´t start your training sooner.” 

He stood there waiting, thinking she would elaborate further since her eyes were the scared, crystal blue orbs he had seen before. But she remained motionless, just looking at him as if begging him to understand without having to actually utter the words. He sighed and sat on her bed, right next to her feet, and placed his palm on her ankle, not knowing another type of reassurance he could give without seriously offending her. 

“I know it´s scary, I know they did things to you that shouldn´t be done to anyone, were going to do things to you that should never be done. I don’t want to push you if you feel like you´re not ready to talk. I just want to understand what happened, and why.”

She broke eye contact with him, clenching her teeth, and glanced at his hand on her ankle. Such large hands, they looked so strong. She was sure he could wield a Claymore without a single effort. 

The silence stretched further, but Nyx held her there. His patience paid off after a while. Lightning closed her eyes and her memory brought her back to those times.

“It started out as a game. Since you wouldn´t train us in combat, a few of the guys started punching and kicking each other in one of the alleyways near the back entrance of the Forte. Mossberg was among them. Soon they became kinda like a… a fight club, but not as hard or as violent. They were just playing, and mimicking a fight. They said it was street training…” 

“I knew it!!” Nyx screamed at the top of his lungs, startling the girl, while he pointed two accusatory fingers at her. “I knew you were in street fighting!! I totally knew!!” He made a small, ridiculous victory dance on top of the bed, and Lightning glared at him.

“If you´re gonna behave like a baby, then forget it. I won´t tell you anything.”

At her threat, he immediately extended his palms in a conciliatory gesture. “I´m sorry! I´m sorry! I was just happy to know I had something correct for once.”

“Yeah, that must be a first for you.”

“Hey!”

“Anyways, I always looked from afar, since they wouldn´t allow a little girl in their game. Then they invited a few of the trainees, girls among them, and I tried to claim my place too. Mossberg and Barret were against it at first, but Yaneera, you know who she is?”

“Yeah, the oldest and tallest girl in your group. She´s a very good one. But, not as good as you.” He winked at the teen, who, against all odds, broke eye contact with him while her cheeks blushed. 

So, there IS a feminine side of Sparks! Nyx hid his surprised chuckle with a cough, knowing it would put her on edge, and remained silent, awaiting the continuation of her story.

“Well, Yaneera said they both were just afraid at the possibility that a little girl would defeat them. I didn´t agree with the way she pushed their buttons, because immediately I could see Barret´s anger and Mossberg´s hateful stare. But they relented, so I shut my mouth. I lost a few fights and won a few others. But when Mossberg challenged me, it was quite surreal. I had never seen someone so big being so dumb.”

“Mossberg is not that big.”

“It is for me.” She glared again.

“For you, even Serah is big.” He chided.

At that, she hit him in the chest. Hard. Nyx rubbed his offended part, but Lightning´s glare forced him to remain silent.

“Well, Mossberg, in spite of almost doubling my size, is slow, very slow, and doesn´t know how to hit, and maybe, his height played for the worst against someone as short as me; whatever it was, he just couldn´t land a simple hit. Obviously, I won by far. And obviously, he was mad, very, very mad. The next fights, he tried to fight me one against two. A few of the guys were against it, but Barret shushed them, saying that, being the star I was, he was sure I could manage. Clearly he meant it as sarcasm, but against all odds, I did prevail. Three times against Mossberg and another guy I ended up victorious, that´s how I learned I had a good reason for feeling fast at my homeland, that it wasn´t just me bragging. I was indeed faster than them, faster even than Barret, who refused to fight against me ever again, settling on competing with me during training.”

“And what did Yaneera said? Did she ever fight you?”

“Yeah, of course she did, and sometimes she defeated me, but most of the times I won. Still, she was never a sore winner, and I actually enjoyed fighting against her. I can´t say we´re friends, but at least she treats me ok.”

“So, you fought the three leaders of my group, the eldest ones, Mossberg, Barret, and Yaneera. And still won.” He couldn´t deny he was impressed by the little squirt.

“Not always. Besides, Mossberg is not a leader, he´s just dumb. And a bully.”

“A dumb head and a bully who is a negative leader capable to move people around. Not a combination to play with.”

She sighed at his words. “Yeah, I learned that the hard way.”

“So, what happened?”

“Mossberg tried next to fight me three against one. This time Yaneera protested, saying he was being too abusive, and that, if he proceeded, he would be thrown out of the games. I fought against him and another guy then, not three as he had asked. But the next morning, right before the training started, he ambushed me with two of his goons, and we fought. But it was different. During the fight with the others, we always held our strength, trying not to hurt each other, and whenever any of us punched too hard, or in forbidden places, like the face because we knew you would find out, the others held them back. It was a game, a training of some sorts, not a real fight. But when Mossberg ambushed me, he and his lackeys were quite intent on hurting me. So, I just defended myself. I won, though I earned a few bruises and an injured wrist.”

“Why didn´t you say anything?”

“It was the first day, I thought that, by delivering his ass onto him, he would leave me alone.”

“But he didn´t.”

“No, he didn´t. Next week, almost every day he appeared with two more guys, and we fought, and fortunately, I always won. But while Mossberg always appeared with new, fresh guys, I had started collecting injuries, like a twisted wrist, an injured ankle, and a couple of sore ribs, their combination making me slower, weaker.”

“And that being the reason why you couldn´t compete with Barret anymore during the class, right? And here I thought you had matured and handed him his selfish pride.” 

“Nope, it´s fun to tease Barret´s pride. But my body was already aching all over. That´s when Libertus taught me your style, taking me to see your training. You were amazing, and I knew I had to learn how to fight like you if I wanted to survive.”

He pretended his ego wasn´t inflated by her comment, trying his hardest to focus on her tale. “And again, I should ask, why didn´t you tell anyone?”

She shrugged, this time with a pang of shame for being so stupid and blind. “Mossberg always teased me calling me a crying baby, a little girl. No matter how hard I kicked him, he always said those words. And I… I´ve been struggling so much for people to see me more than just a little girl…”

“That you felt that, if you let him win and tell someone about his abuse, he´ll erase all your effort, right? You were very dumb.”

“I know that now. But it was important for me then, I didn´t know what his true intentions were.” 

Nyx sighed. He could relate to that. “Did any of the others notice this?”

“They asked me why I had stopped going to practice with them, but I just waved them off, and they attributed it to my ‘sparky attitude’.” She made quoting signs with her fingers. “Evidently, they had already heard you calling me Sparks.”

“So that´s the reason why you hate the name.”

“I don´t hate it, I just… yeah, I hate it.” She gave him a small smile. Nyx started to notice he liked it whenever she smiled.

“You have to admit, though, more than one of us think the name fits you.”

She smirked but refused to comment.

Well, it wasn´t a smile per se, but Nyx still felt proud of himself. “And then?”

“And then… Mossberg went against me with four blocks. I barely managed to win, but during the fight something changed. Mossberg seemed desperate about something, trying his hardest to land a hit on my body, he even managed to grab one of my boobs, and the moment he touched me, his eyes started to look differently at me, a sort of crazy glare. It chilled me to the bone. At the moment, I didn´t understand why, I just felt… dirty, by the way he had touched my boobs, the way he had looked at them. Now I know what changed. Fortunately, his goonies were already gone, and the moment he noticed this, he left too. That´s when I went for you at the brewery. I didn´t know how, I just knew I needed your help more than ever, I had to get a promise out of you, that´s why I resorted to everything. His eyes scared me, it was all I could see in my head while I waited for you to come and meet me. I knew next time wouldn´t be that easy. I´m sorry… for lying to you.”

For a couple of seconds, Nyx stood silent, mulling over her words, and Lightning felt a pang of guilt, awaiting his retaliation. 

“But… you don´t have boobs.”

“Oh, my dear Etro!” She yelled, throwing her healthy hand up in the air. “After all I´ve said, you´re gonna comment about that!? Besides, for your information, I do I have boobs!”

He was going to comment further, but fortunately, he noticed how insensitive he had been, and knew they were reaching sensitive topics, so he clamped his mouth shut with his hand. He didn´t want to hurt her. At his silence, she went on.

“But the next day, the morning when you were going to fulfill your promise, Mossberg went against me once more, with three new, taller guys on the road with him, and in this fight, he got even more violent, and more… touchy; it was then when they pulled my arm out of its socket. I had never hurt that much in a fight, I remember I screamed so hard, my throat ached for many hours. But he made the mistake to… rub… or… I don´t know the word for it… but while we were fighting, he pressed his body hard, desperate, against my back, while his hands roamed my chest; at the time it just irked me, thinking he was trying to immobilize me, but it allowed me to have better access to him, so in spite of my injury, I was glad his mistake gave me the chance to kick his butt to the ground. Even on the floor and defeated, his eyes were still those of a madman, but at the time my arm was already throbbing, so I didn´t pay much attention to him. They ran again, collecting their defeated leader. I was glad, but I was more seriously injured. And felt even more scared of them. The rest, you already know.”

They both remained silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Lightning feeling the relief it brought to her to finally confess. Instead, Nyx felt the weight of her confession and his own part in it. Which was, to his standards, a lot.

He finally broke the silence “I´m sorry, Light.”

“What for? It wasn´t your fault.”

“Yeah, I think it was.” He sighed

She remained silent for a moment but thought his words better. “Yeah, I think so too.” She finally answered.

He looked up at her, hurt by her words, by how easily she had transmitted guilt to him. But the mischief behind her crystal blue eyes made his heart skip a beat.

“But I think that all in all, you´re a good man, Nyx Ulric. Stupid, immature, childish, and a bit ridiculous, but nonetheless a good man.”

He smiled, a little bit grateful. A little bit cocky. “Do you like me now?”

“Don´t push it, moron.”

He chuckled at her and leaned on the sofa. They fell silent once more, though this time, the silence in between them felt more like a link than a wall. After a while, Nyx rose from his comfortable spot.

“Are you set, then?”

She looked at him, startled at his sudden change of mood, and then her mind clicked. He must be starving. Lightning sighed. She had accused him of being a child. Now she was the one who needed to grow up. “Yes, yes, I´ve told you like a thousand times, I´m all set, you can go have something to eat.”

“You´ve just said it three times, not a thousand.”

“It´s still more than one.”

“Are you always such a drama queen? A thousand is not a way of saying more than one.”

“I´m a teenager, I say whatever I want to say. And I´m not a drama queen. You are.”

He was going to retaliate but thought against it the moment his stomach made gurgling sounds.

“Can I help you with something else?” He approached her to fix her pillow, but she slapped his hand.

“I said I´m alright, or as good as I can be with being here and in display like a freaking monkey.”

Nyx followed her gaze and turned around to see through the window of her hospital room, where he could easily see the hallway, nurses, and doctors walking by their room.

“Yeah, I hear you. But if it makes you feel better, I would surely pay anything to come and see the tricks you learn, hey!” She threw him her pillow, which he caught easily. “I´m just joking, Sparks! You should relax!”

“One of the things I´ve learned about you today is that you don´t keep your promises. You promised me you wouldn´t call me like that.”

“Oh! Right! I´m sorry! It´s just, it´s stuck on me, I´m gonna need more than a day to get used to your name, instead of ‘Sparks’. You can´t blame me, though, it´s a very good name.”

“It´s a dog´s name.”

“I insist, it’s a very good name; I might as well buy a pretty dog and name her after you.”

She threw him her already empty glass of water, which he caught swiftly.

“Or I might buy it for you. You sure need a way to vent.”

“Just get out and leave me alone. You have to go to eat, don´t you?”

He looked intently at her, all childishness forgotten. “I´m not feeling ok by leaving you here all by yourself.”

Her eyes softened a tad at his declaration. “Don´t worry. Amodar is about to arrive. Besides, I´m sure you get grumpy whenever you´re hungry. And I´m not in the mood of tolerating a grumpy you. Or tolerate you at all.”

He rolled his eyes. “Well then, I´ll take my leave, are you sure you don´t want me to sneak some food for you? That thing they brought you didn´t look quite tasty. Even the smell was nasty.”

She thought for a moment, then a smile, one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen, illuminated her face for a moment.

“If you´re going to be such a nuisance about it, then yeah, I can forgive you for being an ass, and even forgive you the moniker thing if you bring me here a double ice cream with cranberries and a cherry top with tons of honey and chocolate, from the Bodhum House ice cream shop.”

“But that´s on the other part of the city! And it´s a long way on foot! Not to mention they´re infamous for being so expensive!”

She rested her head on her pillow, evidently satisfied by his frustration. “You have my price.”

He whistled and shook his head. “You certainly have such a sweet tooth. And a very devilish side. Fine, whatever the princess wants, I´ll be back later.”

As he opened the door, though, a punch straight to his face received him, so powerful that it sent him flying backward a few meters.

“Nyx!!”

He crashed against the sofa, his weight breaking it into pieces; the Kingsglaive shook his head and immediately stood up, ready for the next attack. But instead of another strike, huge arms that crushed his torso and almost broke his ribs enveloped him. 

“Aaaggh! I can´t breathe!”

“Bwwaahahahaha!! There you are! There you are! Our very own hero!”

“A-Amodar?”

Nyx risked himself and opened one eye to look down at the man crushing him in the most powerful bear hug he had ever received in his life.

“P-please… my ribs!”

The huge man laughed even harder and finally let the younger man go. Said man collapsed on the floor, coughing, while he felt the assistance of the small pinkette and his best friend Libertus, helping him to get up. A best friend who, by the way, had not been rushing to his help when he was attacked. The traitor.

“Hahaha! I´m sorry my man!” Amodar boomed at him. “After Lightning had told me how you had been an ass of an instructor, I was sooo wishing to hit you in the face! And then when I found out, by this kind young man, that you had saved her from those thugs, I just wanted soooo much to hug you, and I couldn´t decide which one I should do. In the end, I thought ‘and why not do both’? So here I am! And I can die a happy man for being capable of fulfilling my wishes!”

The man laughed thunderously while Nyx finally stood up, muttering under his breath. “Which makes me utterly happy, by the way…”

Amodar clapped Nyx´s back with such strength, the man stumbled and almost fell on the floor again.

“Thank you so much for taking care of my little Rainbows and Sunshine. I know she can be quite hard to handle. I myself have a few things to go through with her.” His last words were accentuated by looking pointedly at said teenager, who paled and gave a step towards Nyx, trying hard to hide behind the man. Without being too obvious about it, of course.

Nyx looked behind him, searching for her frame, and felt a pang of sympathy for the young lady.

But just a bit.

“Well, we shall take our leave, then, to let you both communicate properly.” He gave a sideways step, uncovering the hiding pinkette, who glared at the traitorous man. Said man only smirked at her and waved his hand in goodbye, then looked at Libertus, prompting him to follow, but the taller man ignored him; instead, he took a glance at Amodar, who understood the unspoken request and nodded lightly, his eyes fixed hard over the tiny frame, his arms crossed over his chest, in a very unnerving posture. Lightning gulped even more, wishing with all her heart she could get smaller, and jumped lightly when Libertus took her hand and pulled her towards the bed. The pinkette let him do so, her mind still going through all the possible (and painful) types of punishment she could be subjected to, while the man helped her get on the bed, fixed her pillow, and tucked her in, with such sweetness and care, she almost expected him to kiss her on the forehead.

Fortunately, he didn´t do that last, much-too-awkward part.

Instead, he dedicated her a bright smile, trying to be reassuring, and ruffled her pink hair; this time Lightning smiled at the gesture. She was starting to like the man.

“How are you holding up, Sparks?”

It was funny how the name didn´t bother her as much as whenever it was Nyx the one saying it. 

“I think I´m better now, thanks to you, sensei, and thank you for helping me out.”

He smiled at her, happy to know she was doing better. “Don´t mention it, it’s the least I can do for my favorite girl of the class. Just don´t mention it to the others.”

Lightning´s smile grew wider. Was she really her favorite?

Suddenly, Libertus opened his arms wide. “Can I give you a hug?” 

She frowned a bit, her smile disappearing completely. “I don´t like hugs.” 

“I know, but when I saw you on the floor, I thought you were going to die. I need a hug to know you´re not a fragment of my imagination, and that you´re alright.”

Her frown deepened at his explanation, not buying it for even a bit. She took a glance behind the big man and found Nyx snickering at her. The pinkette glared daggers at the man, but her efforts were fruitless since he had walked out of the room, so full of himself.

“I´m sorry, sensei.” She turned her attention to the remaining Kingsglaive. “Please understand I don´t like hugs.”

Libertus, instead of feeling hurt, ruffled her hair some more, accepting her position and respecting it.

“Don´t worry, Sparks. I get it. I just wanted you to know I might not be a hero, but I´m there for you too, in case you need at least a hug.”

She nodded gratefully, but somewhat uncomfortable. Was he referring to Nyx? Or had Crowe opened her mouth? The latter seemed the least plausible. Then…?

“Before I go, just promise me one thing, young lady: no more chasing and fighting big guys.”

“I´m gonna be a Kingsglaive, sensei, I really can´t promise you that.”

“Oh, right. Well, promise me then you´re gonna get stronger so that your ass won´t be delivered to you that easily.”

She smirked. “Well, I can promise you that much.” 

He winked at her then went after his best friend. 

When they left the room, the atmosphere suddenly felt very, very heavy, and Lightning felt she couldn´t look up to see her Godfather in the eye, so she fixed her eyes on her ankle, right on the exact spot where Nyx had placed his hand, wishing to draw some bravery from the memory of the strong fist upon her skin. A ruffled sound told him Amodar had approached, and, to her surprise, he sat right next to her, on her bed.

“Scoot.”

“Amodar? What…?”

“I said, scoot. Or are you going to disobey that order too?”

Lightning felt ashamed and finally complied, allowing space for the huge man who – tried – to fit on her bed. Broad and strong arms enveloped her whole, crushing her against his round belly, her ear pressed against a powerful heartbeat, their position making her feel as tiny as never before, while huge palms massaged her back and left arm, and she felt his chest rumble with his baritone voice the moment he spoke up.

“I wish you were still so small I could carry you with one single arm, so that I wouldn´t let anyone hurt you. Remember that time when a dog barked at you, then you ran at me and I carried you with one arm, and we both barked at the dog, making it run away?”

Lightning giggled at the memory but just a bit, her apprehension still at its tops. 

When she didn’t comment, Amodar kept on his ministrations and sighed heavily.

“Look, Light, I know I´m not your dad, but for all that is dear to me, I would love to be. So please, believe me, I say it with all my heart when I say this to you: what happened in the alley wasn´t your fault.”

Her heart skipped a bit at his words, and she gulped. “I know, Amodar. You don´t have to say it.”

“I mean it, Light. I really do. I love you so much, little girl. I swear it wasn´t your fault.”

Her chest felt heavy this time, like something hard was pressing against it, and she felt like choking, so her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

“I know.”

“It wasn´t your fault, Light. Don´t be ashamed. Your parents adored you, as Serah does. As I do.”

Her eyes prickled, tears threatening to fall, and her hands grasped his clothes tightly, fighting for control. And losing it miserably.

“I…”

“It wasn´t your fault, baby girl.”

His last shushed words had made the trick. Lightning felt something crushing inside her, and she cried, for the second time in less than a week, cried for everything that had happened, for what almost happened. And for what she knew was going to happen.

She allowed herself to cry all her fear, pain, and sorrow away until she felt emptied and spent. Because at that moment, she promised herself this was the last time Claire Farron would cry. Lightning Farron would never cry like a teenager. Ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allow me first to thank Andy Farron for being my fantastic beta. You rock, girl!!
> 
> Tch… no matter how much I cut this chapter, it still kept growing longer and longer!! Well, sorry for this kinda filler chapter, but it at least allowed us to tie some loose ends and to see what finally happened. Hope you liked it! Also, hope Lightning didn´t feel too OOC, just take in consideration she´s still a teen in here, not the grown woman we met, and that we´re few months after their parent´s demise (okay, a year is only 12 months, right?) which means her emotions are still a mess, plus, no matter how strong she gets to be. As a teenager, an experience like almost-rape must´ve shaken her to the very core. Even someone as strong-willed as her. But this time, she doesn´t have to face it alone. Hope you still like the story.
> 
> Before I forget, Final Fantasy characters don´t belong to me, but to Square Enix


	5. Peace before her raging storm

“Will you go to testify?”

“Mmmh?” Nyx had been thinking about Lightning´s confession, but his friend´s words brought him back to reality. “Oh! Yeah, I should go, right? Did you testify already?”

Libertus nodded. “Yes, Crowe and I did. The police took our declaration and sent the teens to preventive prison while the whole process is held. They´re waiting for yours and Lightning´s declaration, though, especially hers.”

“I think they´ll have to wait a little longer for Lightning´s, but I´ll go right now. Where is Crowe, by the way?”

“Oh! We found Lieutenant Amodar on the way over here.” The tall man said, a chirpy, uncharacteristic tone in his voice. “Have you noticed how similar Serah is from Lightning? Crowe did, so she called her over, thinking she was Lightning, that´s how we met the famous ‘Lieutenant Amodar’.”

“Yeah, I fell for that one too.” Nyx chuckled at the memory of baby blue eyes full of mirth at his expense. “Where is Crowe, though? You haven´t answered my question.”

“Well, you see, the hospital has strict rules about letting children get inside, so Crowe volunteered to keep Serah company, while Amodar went to see Lightning.”

Nyx chuckled again, picturing her friend happy to meet someone her age… well, make that, mental age. “I bet she did. Hey! Got an idea! Why don´t you take Crowe and Serah to Bodhum House? And bring me back an ice cream for me and Lightning, while I go and give my declaration.”

“You mean the ice cream shop that´s on the other end of the city? Are you insane?” Libertus screamed in indignation. “That´s awfully far! And awfully expensive!”

“Oh! C´mon man!” Nyx threw an arm around his friend´s shoulder, trying to convince him. “Both girls are from Bodhum, I´m sure they´ll be utterly happy if they taste a piece of their homeland. Plus, I bet having the children happy will earn you a lot of points in front of Crowe, wouldn´t you think?”

Libertus growled, trying to hide his blushing cheeks. “I don´t know, man… it´s still too far.”

“Even better, you´ll have a very good reason to hang out with Crowe for a long time and in her softest form, given that you´ll be both taking the little girl with you.”

The man kept on cursing and growling, but Nyx knew he had won the conversation. One down, one still to go.

They approached the two girls, Crowe and Serah, and Nyx found Crowe´s newfound ability: to get along with kids. Serah and the Kingsglaive were playing with their hands, and laughing as if they were best pals already. He had seen Lightning smile already, but it was still so weird for him to see a pinkette laughing so heartedly, with such abandonment. He wished there would be a time when he could get to see Lightning laughing like that.

“Hey! I know you!” Serah broke the game the moment she noticed the two men approaching, and went to hug Nyx by the waist, her happy and trustful attitude taking the man by surprise. “You´re my sister´s coach! Is it true that you saved her? Are you her hero?”

“Emh, yeah, I got there in time to prevent her from getting more injured. But I can´t say I´m a hero.”

“Did you see my sister? Is she okay?”

He smiled at her, trying to be reassuring. “She´s got a few scrapes and hurts but she´s a tough girl. I can assure you she´s okay now.”

She smiled gratefully at the man, but her countenance suddenly became that of worry. “Did the mean people rape Lightning?”

“W-what??” Nyx staggered at such word coming out of such an innocent girl. “How did… who told you that??” He immediately turned to glare at Crowe, but she raised her hands in surrender.

“I swear to Etro it wasn´t me who said it!”

“Serah, who told you she was raped?”

The girl looked sheepish but didn´t relent by an inch the tight embrace she had upon Nyx. “I heard it over the phone, they told Amodar Lightning had been raped. What´s rape, Nyx?”

The three friends coughed at her questioning, and the questioned man blushed like tomato red, even at the ears.

“I´ll tell you when you´re older.”

“But I want to know if my sister is going to be fine!” Since the men were not telling her, apparently too astonished to pay attention to her, the little girl turned around to ask her new friend. “Crowe, is rape equal to dying? Will I ever see my sister again?”

“No, little one, it´s not the same,” The tall woman kneeled in front of the little girl, trying to be reassuring, “and Lightning wasn´t raped. She was attacked by a bunch of goons who tried to hurt her, but Nyx came on time before they did, and she will be fine soon enough.”

The small pinkette turned around again and held the man´s waist a little bit harder, her own way of showing gratitude, and then, the moment another scary idea hit her, she looked up searching for his eyes, and scared crystal blue orbs, like the ones Nyx had seen before, demanded the truth behind his grey irises.

“Did they hit her in the face, Nyx? Does she look like a monster now?”

“A mo… what do you mean? Why do you ask that?” Her questions were getting weirder by the minute… and her embrace even more awkward too. Shouldn´t she be holding Crowe, instead?

“My sister once showed me a picture of a man who had been beaten by some mean men, and his face looked like a monster. Does she look like that now?”

In spite of himself, he smiled at the girl´s innocent concern. “No, of course not. She´s still as beautiful as ever.”

Serah expelled the air she was holding, and then, after a second, she resumed her questioning. “Will I get to see her soon?”

The three looked at each other. This time it was Libertus the one to kneel in front of the girl. “I´ll tell you what, little one, let´s get you some ice cream for you and for Lightning too, and then we´ll see what we can do to sneak you in so that you get to see her. How does that sound?”

“Terrific!”

Crowe extended her hand to take Serah´s, but the petite girl wouldn´t let go of the Kingsglaive, instead, the girl took Nyx´s hand, surprising the man at the familiarity the child seemed to be feeling towards him.

“So… you saved my sister?”

Nyx looked down at the girl. It felt… odd, to have a mini version of Lightning walking beside him, all innocence and trust directed at him, but even weirder to notice how different in personality they were, even when physically they were so equal, like two drops of water.

“You could say that.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why did you save her?”

“Because I promised her Godfather I´d do whatever was in my power to help her.”

“Are you in love with her?”

Nyx coughed at her words. “What?? No! I´m certainly not! I´m not a pedophile!”

“What´s a…?”

“Look, missy,” Nyx interrupted her before she finished the sentence, “I saved her because that´s my job, no other hidden motive.”

“Is it your job to save pretty girls?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, part of my job is to save pretty girls.”

“But you haven´t saved me.”

He chuckled. “So, you consider yourself a pretty girl in need to be saved?”

“Yep. And you haven´t saved me.”

“Well, I promise I´ll save you when you need me, is that okay?”

“Okay.”

After a few seconds of silence, the girl giggled.

Nyx rolled his eyes again. “Now what?”

“I still think you like my sister.”

He sighed, now the issue getting on his nerves. Even more so, the moment he noticed two traitorous Kingsglaives snickering at his expense. “Look, missy, your sister is cute, I´ll give you that, but I don´t like girls younger than 18-years-old; I like women my age. Period.”

“Well, I think you´re gonna fall in love with my sister then, just once she grows up.”

“Why in the world would you say that?”

“Because dad always says Claire looks like my mom. And my mom is the most beautiful woman in the world. If Claire gets to be like her, then you´ll fall in love with her for sure.”

The three friends looked at each other again, eyes opened wide at the logic behind her words… and at the revelation. It was Nyx the one to speak up.

“Emh… Who is Claire, Serah?”

And while Libertus rolled his eyes over his best friend´s cluelessness, Crowe giggled at his expense, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo

In the end, because of Serah´s prodding, Nyx never left the group, so he went on their little field trip to the ice cream shop, the small pinkette glued to his hand as if she were the one needing to be rescued. He guessed, after the scare she just had when she heard of Lightning´s attack, the little kid needed to feel safe too, just like her sister had, so he didn´t have the heart to force her to let go of his hand. Thus, he stayed with them all the way to the shop and back.

The trio of friends returned to Lightning´s room, carrying a very happy pinkette in their wake, the one guilty for the friends to be induced into bribery and blackmail in order to get her inside the hospital. He didn´t know why but Nyx felt quite eager to see the older pinkette, more than ready to give her his trait, (well, technically, it was Libertus trait, but that was something she didn´t need to know), and the group entered Lightning´s room, after having to convince, woo and pay the nurses on call to let all of them in. Once they were inside, and being as many people as they were, Crowe used the bed´s dirty sheet and placed it on the floor, so everyone seated on it and gathered around Lightning as if it were their little picnic. To Lightning, it didn´t matter when or where they were, the older pinkette was way beyond happiness around her newfound friends and remaining family, even forcing her weariness aside at Nyx´s sudden silence. They all enjoyed the ice cream the Kingsglaives had brought to them, and even Amodar had accepted to linger and take a sip at the treat, in spite of being called back to work several times already.

They had spent a couple of hours enjoying the afternoon, telling funny stories and jokes, when the head of nurses entered the room.

“Okay, cute guy, you´ve had your chance. Now is time to go away and fly, my shift is about to be finished and I don´t want any trouble.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Nyx stood up and saluted militarily, earning a blush from the nurse and a rain of laughter from his friends, and then bowed “I really appreciate you let us be here with my dear friend, who would´ve felt lost and abandoned if it weren´t for someone as kind-hearted as you.”

“Hey!” Lightning protested, but Libertus slapped her arm to shush her, lest she would mess it up.

“Well, your very welcome, young man. As for you, pretty lady,” the nurse this time directed her attention to Lightning, “the doctor has given his permission to release you. So if everything goes smoothly, you´ll be out of here tomorrow morning.”

“Yeeeeess!!” it was Serah the one to scream and ran to hug her sister tightly, giving her kisses on her cheeks and nose, the taller pinkette protesting but without too much animosity. But it seemed her ministrations weren´t enough to appease her. The chirpy girl immediately ran again and hopped on the bed, jumping and jumping as if she were a little rabbit, while she screamed and laughed. Lightning felt contagious, and in spite of everything that had happened, she went to copy her sister, much to the nurse´s charging. And to Nyx´s surprise.

“Girls! Stop that or I´ll have to punish you!! Girls!!”

Crowe stood up, trying to appease the nurse.

“Please let them be for a moment. I’ll make sure they don’t destroy anything. Either way, we won’t stay long; we have to leave so that Lightning can rest.”

“Actually, I need one of you to linger with her.” The nurse said, still eyeing wearily the jumping children. “My patient shouldn´t sleep today, just as a precaution before she leaves the hospital. And I mean it, no sleep tonight.”

“Oh.” Crowe didn’t like the idea

“What? What do you mean I can´t sleep? But I´m already sleepy!” Lightning immediately protested, all glee forgotten.

“I´m sorry, young lady. Doctor´s orders. You´re forbidden to close your eyes for 24 hours. So I´ll need one of you to remain and make sure she does as ordered. And by one of you, I mean you, young woman.” She pointed her finger at Crowe, who moaned but understood. It wouldn´t be correct for a man who wasn´t her family to remain all night long with Lightning. And since Amodar couldn´t stay either (he had the night shift in his job)… It had to be her.

“Okay, no problem, but I´ll need some time to go and collect my stuff for the night. Can you stay Nyx?”

As expected, he immediately protested. “Why me? There´s Libertus too!”

“Who do you think will accompany her for her stuff, man? Are you going to load them on your shoulders?” Libertus snickered at his friend.

“It´s only one night, for Etro´s sake! How much can she bring?”

“Oh, my man, you really don´t know girls, do you?”

Crowe eyed him. “Fine then, you´ll get to sleep with Lightning or with Serah, is that better?”

“No! Psh… fine. I´ll stay.” Nyx finally relented.

“What about me?” Serah yelled at them.

“I think we´ll have to take you here once again… without them noticing, of course, so you just remain silent. But for the moment, just come with me, alright?”

“Alright!”

The trio left, and Nyx took his seat once more in front of Lightning. This time, though, the silence was heavy, and she didn´t know why.

“Is… is something the matter, Nyx? If you want to, you can leave, I really don´t need you to stay with me. I´m old enough, you know?”

He smirked at that, and as a memory hit him, looked at her with mirth in his eyes.

“What now?” He remained silent, but his smirk grew wider. “You´re freaking me out, Nyx, why are you looking at me like that?”

“So… Claire, uh?”

Her porcelain skin turned deep red at his words. “Who told you? Was it Amodar?”

“I hope you don´t retaliate, but I´m not telling you anyway.”

Her eyes opened wide at his words, immediately understanding the truth behind them. “Oh, my dear Etro! It was Serah, right?! I´ve told her a thousand times that´s not my name anymore!!”

“You can´t be mad at her. She´s just a girl. Besides, I think Claire is a pretty name. I really don´t know why would you change it.”

“Long story. But before you get any funny ideas, let me warn you: you really cannot use that name on a dog. I totally forbid it. Or any other form of misusing.”

“You can´t forbid me anything.” Nyx glared at her.

“Yeah, I can, I´ll go to a lawyer and make you regret it in case you do.”

He chuckled at her antics but didn´t retaliate. His silence and overall lack of his usually animated response were getting on her nerves.

“There´s something the matter with you. Besides the name you just found out, of course. Spit it out already. You´re making me nervous.”

He sighed, as he felt a heavy load upon his shoulders. “Yeah… there is something, I… I want to confess.”

“Confess? Like what?”

He sighed again, trying to collect his wits. “In a sense… it was my fault.”

“What was your fault?”

“What happened to you.”

“Which one of the things I told you?”

He hesitated. “All of it.”

A delicate eyebrow rose, a movement that sent a chill down Nyx´s back.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I…” he rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to start. “You see, I… didn´t train you guys properly because, well… I was angry with Drautos. I had been coaching the previous year, won the best coach´s award, so to speak, and the best coach of each year always gets an Over-the-Seas training at Bodhum, in the Navy Guardian Corps, their SEAL´s division, one of the hardest and most amazing training programs ever created in Eos. But Drautos decided to give it to Pelna, who is his favorite, and I… well… I got so mad, I really didn´t want to make the effort again. It was useless, anyway. So, I kinda tried to punish him by being the worst coach ever.”

The pillow hit him straight on the face, and so hard, that it left him seeing stars.

“What the…?”

“I had to resource to street training, and had my ass handed to me a couple of times because my sensei was throwing a tantrum?!”

“Hey! It wasn´t a tantrum! It was…”

“A tantrum, Nyx Ulric! That was a freaking tantrum!”

He glared at her and was about to retaliate when something inside his head, like a bulb, seemed to turn on. A big ‘O’ formed in his mouth. He lowered his eyes, knowing full well he didn´t deserve to look at her. It had indeed been his fault, after all, that she almost got raped.

“I´m sorry, Light, I… I don´t know what to say, nor how to repay you what you´ve been through because of me. I´m truly sorry.”

He looked up, wanting to meet her eyes and apologize some more when a sudden sound startled him. Lightning was laughing, and so hard, that she was clutching her belly.

“What are you laughing at, Sparks?”

“At you… of course!”

“Well, stop doing it! It´s not funny.”

“Yes… yes, it is! Seriously! How old are you?”

“I´m a lot older than you! Thank you very much!” He crossed his arms over his chest, now feeling offended.

“In between you and me, I think you are the teenager.”

Her last statement made him feel surprised and ashamed, but he knew she had all the right to call him all the names she wanted to. The hilarity in her face, though, let him mend his soul.

“You´re a good dog, anyways,” she finally recovered, “so don´t fret, I forgive you, but only if you promise me you´ll train me for sure.”

He stood up and put his hand over his chest, mockingly taking an oath. “I promise you I´ll make you the best Kingsglaive there´s ever been. After me, of course.”

She smiled at him, pleased at his response.

A minute of silence, and then.

“Wait! Dog?? What do you mean? Why would you call me like that?”

She smirked at his antics, completely full of herself. “Well, I might as well buy a dog, give it your ridiculous haircut, and call it Nyx. I think it´ll be a cute dog. And I´m sure it will be more handsome than you.”

She laughed at the face he made, but he couldn´t remain angry with her for too long. Her laughter was contagious and made his heart inflamed with glee.

oooooOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo

The next day Nyx woke up and readied himself a lot earlier than he usually did. He had promised Lightning he´d go pay a visit before they released her, and before he went to the training grounds, in case they released her early and she could accompany him to the training session, even if she couldn´t participate. She´d be the Coach´s pet for the day. The name didn´t play good with Lightning, but she still loved the idea of going to see her peers, instead of staying alone in her house, so she didn´t complain too much, especially when he had promised also he would accompany her to testify since he had to go himself too. She had confessed him she didn´t want to go on her own, nervous to tell her story to a bunch of strangers. Obviously, he had volunteered to be her support. So, Nyx was ready for his day earlier than he had ever been in his life, bought a can of soda (he didn´t think Lightning would appreciate flowers at all), and entered the hospital wings, smiling and whistling as if it was the best day of his life…

Until he found himself face to face with someone quite familiar, blocking his path to the girl´s room.

Gentiana, the High Messenger of the Oracle of Tenebrae, in all her black and white elegant magnificence, stood silently in front of the door, her eyes remaining closed as ever, but her overall stance giving him the sense that she knew of his presence.

“Gentiana?”

She smiled, but only barely.

“Nice to be in your presence again, my dear Nyx Ulric.”

He ignored her comment, and the apparent sarcasm behind it; instead, his eyes were glued at the closed door right behind her frame, because Nyx knew the meaning of the Messenger´s presence.

It meant Princess Lunafreya Nox Fleuret was right behind that door.

Inside Lightning´s room.

Against his wishes, his heart skipped a beat at the thought.

Nyx approached the tall woman, looking intently through the window of the room, and found Lightning talking to someone hidden from his sight. Or rather, someone talking to her, since the teen had her whole focus on the person, her eyes opened wide in surprise and… fear? Awe? Disbelief? Negation? This time, he couldn´t read her countenance, at least not as well as he had done a few hours ago.

“Gentiana? What´s going on? Who sent you here?”

“King Regis himself told us where to find you both. So here we are.”

He exhaled, his heart jumping inside his chest at the implications of the woman´s presence in the hospital. “Is… is she…?”

“Yes, Nyx Ulric, the Princess is in there, inside that very room. But you cannot pass.”

“What? Why?” He felt angry at her retort. “For your information, that´s my pupil inside, so I´m entitled to know. What is the Princess doing there? And with Lightning?”

“That is something I cannot discuss with you. And I hope I don´t need to remind you we´re in a hospital, so you should lower your voice.”

“I´m not lowering my voice, I want to know what´s going on.”

“As I said before, I will not tell you anything, nor will I let you inside.”

“You and I know very well the Princess will tell me anyway. I want to see the Princess.”

The High Messenger smirked but remained unmoved. “Yes, you and I know she will. It is still not in my power to tell you, nor to let you in. You will have to wait once your Highness is finished.”

He was about to retort, but the door suddenly opened, the Crown Princess of Tenebrae and Princess of Lucis, the beautiful Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, came out of the room.

“Your Highness.”

At the look of her, Nyx kneeled immediately. She smiled and went towards Nyx, who straightened once she was a few steps from him.

“Please, don´t be mad. I know she´s your pupil, Nyx Ulric. But fret not. I´m only here for her benefit.”

Nyx gave a step forward, trying with all his might to read the woman´s eyes. And to drink in her features, knowing she would stand in front of him but for mere seconds. He hesitated a moment, feeling himself losing his mind in the pool of her deep blue irises, and then, finally, he found his voice again.

“Your Highness, if I might be too rude to ask, what are you doing here? What do you mean by Lightning´s benefit?”

She smiled sweetly, her eyes scanning intently his face, and she gave a step towards him, her body feeling already his warmth; without her consent, her hand moved on its own accord, finding his wrist. The feeling of his skin under her fingertips created a gravitational force that pulled her towards him, and she did as if to give another step in his direction. But Gentiana moved behind her, and the sound of the High Messenger´s clothes brushing, were enough to bring the Princess into self-awareness; she sighed, blushing, and closed her eyes to reign over her emotions. With all the will she could muster, Luna finally gave a step backward. But her hand refused to let go of his wrist.

“Princess?”

Nyx´s voice was soft, almost a whisper, their closeness allowing him to be almost intimate in his pleading. He raised his hand, an attempt to touch her cheek. Nyx wanted so much to ease the evident pain the beautiful Princess was in, seemed to always be in, but an inch from her skin he suddenly stopped at noticing her shaking her head, the movement making him come to his senses; he clenched his hand in a fist and dropped it to his side. Her touch was way out of his reach, he berated himself; it would be smart for him to always remember so. But her fingers on his wrist burned like a flame, making his heart run a hundred miles per hour.

She shook her head, her eyes finally open but fixed on the floor, not realizing how close he had been to caress her; her eyes finally looked up, tracing his body upwards. His well-formed, perfect body. The blonde cursed inwardly for the action. Looking so closely at his physique made her detachment even harder to pretend.

“Tell, me please, My Princess,” he pleaded again, his voice creating butterflies in the woman´s stomach, “what is it that brought you here with my pupil?”

Luna finally collected her wits and looked all the way up, finding his eyes, and felt the pull of his gray irises. She wanted so much to give the step forward… so much to look down into his lips… and noticed, with a certain satisfaction, his cheeks became pink, as a blush crept up his face. Evidence that he was feeling the same way as her. The heat between them became unbearable, and her body prompted her to action. She gave the step, but instead of meeting his lips, she walked beside him, past him, her fingers still attached to his skin, but now just by a small brush, while her sight was stubbornly fixed on the white wall in front of her, her eyes so full of sadness, she didn´t want him to see.

She knew his eyes were a mirror of her own.

“I…” The blonde sighed, trying to collect her resolve. “That is, my husband and I are going on a year-long trip all around Eos.” The moment the words left her mouth, Luna felt a painful sting in her chest, doing her best not to wince at the feeling. But Nyx winced at her words for the both of them. “We are going to collect supporters to our kingdom, and to help those innocent victims of the war. We´ll be gone for a year, return for a couple of months and go again. The plan is to be away for four years, hoping it will help us keep the peace and freedom in Eos.”

“That´s a very dangerous trip, my Princess. You and your… husband… you and Prince Noctis will need protection. I can go with you.” He gave a step towards her, all too eager to volunteer, but she gave a step backward, away from him, and shook her head.

“No. The Crownsguard and Noctis´s best friends will be with us. You don´t need to worry. And anyway, you´ll be on your journey towards Bodhum.”

“What? How do you know…?”

She smiled. It was pleasant to see the surprise in his eyes. “Someone who cares about you shared with me about your request, or more precisely, of your failed request, and I… I asked his Majesty as a personal favor, to grant you the opportunity to go. He obviously said yes. You´ll have to pack your personal belongings soon. The training program is due to start in a week.”

Nyx didn´t know what to say. He knew he should be happy; it was the one thing he wanted, and thankful for Luna´s intervention… Involuntarily, he looked up and saw, through the room’s window, Lightning´s eyes fixed on his form, an unreadable expression on her countenance. Did she know of this? Had she agreed already? But he had made her a promise and didn´t matter how much it would cost him. He wouldn´t let her down again.

“I can´t leave her. My pupil… I promised I´d train her, and I´m a man of honor.”

Luna smiled; she had always known Nyx had a sweet and tender part of him. One of the many things she liked of him.

“You shouldn´t worry; your pupil, Lightning, will come with us, she will become a part of the Crownsguard. You need not worry about her education anymore.”

“What?” He felt shocked at the revelation. “You can´t be serious, Luna! She´s not a Kingsglaive yet! Light just started the training program, she´s too young to be part of the Crownsguard!”

“She´s too young to be a Kingsglaive too, Nyx, and yet, here she is. And I´ve read the reports that she´s one of the best in your class. Trust her she´ll prevail.”

He finally gave the step forward, took one of her hands on both of his, and brought her knuckles to his lips, ignoring the stormy effect the action had on her body.

“Let me go with you, Princess, I can protect you and train her. I can do both. Please, let me go…” But he couldn´t finish his sentence, since his wrist, the one not held by the Princess suddenly ached profusely, and he turned to see it entrapped by powerful, icy fingers. The moment he looked at the owner of the hand, found a very mad Gentiana, whose face was close to his.

“Let your Highness go, Nyx Ulric, or I swear you´ll lose that hand.” She murmured her threat so that only they could hear it.

As if coming to his senses, Nyx let go of Luna´s hand, his eyes still fixed on the olive green of the Messenger, who wasn´t still done with him.

“Kneel in front of royalty, Kingsglaive, you should always know your place.”

“Gentiana! Stop!”

Nyx looked at Luna, whose eyes were fixed pleadingly on her friend, but then took a good look at Gentiana, and finally understood what he had done. He sighed heavily and kneeled in front of Lunafreya, his hand over his heart.

“My Princess, your Highness, I´m really sorry for trespassing my boundaries and offending you.”

“You didn´t offend me, Nyx.” Her heart aching at seeing him like that, she was about to kneel in front of him, to accompany him, but Gentiana took her by the wrist, and once blue eyes met green, the Messenger shook her head.

“It´s time for us to leave, your Highness. The King and his son, your husband, await.”

The last words were like a hit directly to her gut. To her heart. Lunafreya looked down to see the kneeled man, and held her breath, least a sob escaped her lips. She straightened her posture and sighed, gathering her courage once more, getting inside her Oracle´s skin.

“Your pupil, Lightning, is a Child of Destiny, Nyx.”

His mind came to a sudden halt, and his eyes opened wide at her confession. “What? What do you mean?”

In spite of Gentiana´s threat, he stood up to face the blonde and found crystal blue eyes looking intently at him, all longing and pain gone, absolute seriousness embedded in them. And the strength of the Oracle shining behind them.

“She´s a Child of Destiny. I saw her, Nyx. She was right there, with me, in my last Vision of the Future to Come.” As so where you. But she couldn´t find the strength to say out loud those last words. The vision still hurt her heart.

He was speechless, and his hesitation allowed the Princess of Tenebrae to turn around and leave him there, rooted to his spot. He tried to raise his hand, to take hers once again, but again, Gentiana stood in front of him.

“I don´t like you, Nyx Ulric. You´re a good man, I´m well aware, but I don´t like you, because you had the world at your feet, and you were stupid enough not to see it.”

“What? What do you mean?”

Gentiana turned to leave, but at the last moment, she pierced him with her glare.

“The moment you saved the Princess’s life, she gave you her heart, but you never took notice, or were never brave enough to take her hand. She was yours at that moment, and yet you were too coward to do anything. Now she´s out of your reach, a married woman, the wife of your future king. You should never forget that.” She came even closer, her glare hardening. “But what makes me loathe you most, is that I still see hurt in her eyes whenever she sees you because she´s not over you just yet. But you well know where her duty lays, as so does she. So, stay away from her. Because the only thing you do for her now, is making her cry.”

“I… I didn´t know, Gentiana… I never imagined… How could I know that she felt something like that… for someone so unworthy like me?”

She smiled sadly at him.

“Well, now I know which one of the two possibilities were. As I´ve told you, she´s out of your reach now, your blindness made you lose someone who loved you. Let´s hope you don´t make the same mistake twice.” She looked intently behind his back, finding baby blue eyes staring directly at them. The tall woman nodded and walked away, leaving in her wake a couple of astonished people. And a Kingsglaive with a broken heart.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Crowe was sitting silently, her eyes downcast, knowing how her best friend must be feeling at the moment, after a revelation like that, while Lightning was intently looking through the window, the one that allowed her to see towards the corridor, her eyes fixed on Nyx´s back, her mind reproducing over and over the Princess and the Kingsglaive’s almost intimate exchange. She didn´t understand why, but suddenly a feeling of pressure had appeared over her chest, so tight, that felt almost as if chocking her; her body refused to move, as her eyes were fixed on the man´s slouched form, but her mind kept on seeing the memory of the blonde´s hand placed tenderly over the man´s wrists. She wanted to scoff, to rest importance to the matter, but her voice refused to obey, and only vocalized one word.

“N-Nyx…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, or at least shorter than the last, but I´m soooo wishing to get these ideas off of my head!! So I had to write them down soon, or else they would make my brain explode! (plus, they didn´t let me study, so…) and it´s all your fault, Andy Farron. Your presence in my life has sparked my inspiration like a flame! How do you do that?? Guess it´s just too much fun to talk to you about it?
> 
> As you might´ve already noticed, we are in the brick of taking our long time-jump. Lightning will go train with the Crownsguard (I love the idea of her meeting Noctis and his gang!) while Nyx goes to train to Lightning´s homeland. What will happen after they reencounter!!?? OMG! What will Nyx say the moment he gets to see a grown-up Lightning?? (We already know how beautiful she gets to be, so at least THAT won´t be a surprise, hehe)
> 
> Hope you´re still liking the story.


	6. On her way to the future

Warning: we´re returning a few hours from the last chapter, to see what happened in that room before Nyx arrived. The italics mean thoughts and sometimes that there´s a flashback. Hope I don´t confuse you too much.

ooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo

Lightning was getting annoyed. She was dying out of sleepiness, but couldn´t complain much. Serah was sound asleep on her bed, while poor Crowe was bobbing her head on the sofa, doing her best effort to keep herself awake, barely remembering her job of first keeping a teenager´s eyes wide open, according to doctor´s orders. Dawn had come upon them, and Lightning had been waiting for it like never before in her life. The doctor would soon tell her she could go, and the first thing she wanted to do was sleep.

But she had promised Nyx they would go to the training grounds. As much as she had loved the idea of starting her training soon enough, she was regretting the decision now. Her mind felt numb, she didn´t think she could take a step and not fall asleep right there and then.

But she had promised Nyx. Thus, she had to be strong, so that the moron wouldn´t change his mind: she´d have to make the effort and not leave him any other choice but to start her training right away.

She yawned, and took a look at her bed, at the bundle of sheets beside her: Serah was curled up, sound asleep, taking all the sheets and blanket in her tossing. Lightning didn´t mind, they had always slept that way, and besides, she shouldn´t be sleeping anyway. The taller pinkette finally decided to get off of her bed and walk around the room, least her exhaustion got the best of her.

She heard a sudden knock on the door and prayed to Etro they had decided to let her go earlier.

“Come in.”

But instead of the doctor or any of the nurses, a man dressed like a Kingsglaive entered, followed closely by a woman with eyes closed and long black hair, entering next someone Lightning would´ve never thought she’d find right in front of her. At least not so soon.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Crown Princess of Tenebrae, and most importantly, Eos´s most powerful Oracle, stood in all her glory in front of the young pinkette. 

With the Oracle appearing so suddenly in front of her, Lightning immediately understood the time she had dread so much had finally come. She had actually been expecting her, knew her destiny was to meet her… but she still had hoped she could have more time…

The Kingsglaive spoke first. “Good morning child. Are you Lightning F…?”

But before he could finish his question, the Princess walked purposefully towards the teen, silencing the man with emotion behind her voice.

“Yes, yes she is.” Her eyes shone with a spark that Lightning couldn´t place. Happiness and sadness combined ignited the light behind the woman’s blue orbs. “I remember her eyes… and her hair.”

Lightning scoffed. “Yeah, I know, it´s quite the rare treat. People always say that.”

Luna chose to ignore her comment full of irony and addressed her Kingsglaive. “You can leave us now, wait at the car. We´ll meet you there soon enough.” The man bowed at her and turned around, while the Princess walked eagerly towards the teen. She was a couple of steps away from the teen, and, hesitantly at first, raised a hand as if to touch her hair.

“May I…?”

Lightning didn´t know what passed through her mind, she was never one to let people touch her, but for a reason unknown to her, she allowed the princess to do as she pleased.

And why the hell not? I´m already bound to her life.

The blonde passed her fingers through the delicate pink tresses, making Lightning shiver at the touch. And then, without asking for permission, the princess embraced her, so tightly, that she hurt the teens´ ribs. But Lightning allowed her to do and prevented herself from emitting any sound of pain. The hug lasted but a second, and, as if realizing her mistake, Luna released the pinkette and gave a step backward, still appraising her.

“I´m sorry for disturbing you and your… sister? Like that.” Lightning nodded, still silent. “I promise I´ll be quick, so we don´t raise the child from her sweet sleep.” Luna´s smile grew wider, as if in awe at the girl in front of her. “If you allow me to be honest with you, there was a moment I thought the vision was wrong, and I wouldn´t get to meet you. And yet, at the dawn of our promised journey, here you are.”

Lightning didn´t know what to say to that, so she took another look at Serah, and chose to keep her silence. Fortunately, Serah was a heavy sleeper, not a single sound would wake her up. Finally, the Princess gave her a last smile and turned around, walking a few steps away from her, as if to stop breaking her bubble and leaving the girl a moment of respite. Gentiana at that moment stood straighter as if sensing something, and Luna immediately looked at her. The brunette nodded and, without a word, stepped out of the door, leaving the girl, the princess, and the sleeping woman alone in the room.

“So, you know why I am here?” Luna asked.

Lightning nodded slowly.

“How do you know? If you allow me to ask.”

The teen felt hesitant at first but decided that sharing her knowledge with the Oracle herself, was the best thing to do. 

“There was a woman who came to me during a dream. A dream I had the very day my parents died. She… she told me I should find you. She told me you were my destiny, showed me… things… images… of a horrible future…” 

Lightning’s voice faded a tad, and Luna nodded slowly, understanding the teen’s doubts. She had seen the vision too, had trembled upon it. She couldn't fathom the effect of such omen could have over the soul of an innocent girl.

Or maybe she could…

At that moment Crowe moved, breaking their conversation; the brunette yawned and opened her eyes slowly, obviously resistant at abandoning her sleep; the moment the Kingsglaive took notice of the Princess, though, she immediately stood up only to kneel in front of the woman, and brought her hand towards her chest, startling Lightning and Lunafreya.

“Your Highness.”

“I´m sorry we disturbed you.” Luna apologized, aware their voices must´ve awakened the exhaust Kingsglaive.

“No! On the contrary, I´m sorry I wasn´t aware of your presence before. What can I do for you?”

“At ease, Kingsglaive. I came to talk to your young friend.”

“With L-Light? But why…?”

The princess smiled sweetly at the startled woman, trying to appease her, and directed her eyes towards the pinkette once again, a movement that made Crowe understand she was in the middle of an intimate conversation. One that she hadn’t been invited to, so she stood in silence, allowing the scene in front of her to unfold without interruption.

“I´m sorry I kept you waiting, Lightning, and didn’t come sooner to meet you. You already know what must be done, and I´m sorry to say it´s something I cannot change, no matter how hard I try. But I came here for a proposition, too. To help make you stronger, so that you can face that destiny with everything there´s for the world to offer.”

Lightning´s delicate eyebrow rose. “What do you mean?”

“We, my husband and I, that is, will make a trip all around Eos, helping the victims of the war, and stopping all the Niflheim troops we find on our way. But it´s a very dangerous trip, so we´ll try to be as discrete about it as we can, thus, we´re only taking a few of the Crownsguard with us. I thought you would like to train with them, get to know them, and acquire the best they can give you in matters of knowledge and ability, to prepare you for war. They are the best of the best, after all. What do you say?”

Lightning blinked at the proposition, staring at the princess, not knowing what to say. She was well aware she couldn’t refuse. The Princess was her destiny, her future, and Lightning had already come to terms with that destiny, came to accept it. But still, there were a few things that made her hesitate.

“My… my sister…” Lightning turned to look at the small beauty still sound asleep on her bed. “I don´t want to leave her alone.”

“It would be only a matter of months, we´ll be returning from time to time and you could see her during those moments, I…”

“No.”

The harsh voice stopped the princess’ explanation. Lightning´s eyes were hard, full of determination.

“I´m not leaving my sister behind. It´s the only condition I gave the woman in order to accept my future. I´ll die willingly if Serah gets to live a good and long life. If you want me to go with you, you´ll have to take Serah with us.”

Luna blinked at her blunt words. “The vision doesn´t precisely mean you´ll lose your life.”

“You´re a better interpreter than I am, I´ll give you that, but I´m pretty sure that´s what the woman showed me.”

“Goddess Etro.” Luna corrected the girl.

“What?”

“It was the Goddess Etro the one showing you that vision. I saw her too. I saw you talking to her as clear as you’re talking to me now.”

Lightning blinked twice at the revelation but recovered fast. “Well, whatever. I made a pact with her. And there are things I won´t change from that pact. And that includes my sister's involvement in it.”

Luna hesitated for a moment, looking at the small bundle of sheets again. This wasn´t a trip made for children. They would be risking their lives, and the battles and situations would be hard on their bodies and minds. The idea was to clear their minds and souls, to gain the Astral´s favor, and having a child on board would only put more stress on their souls. Then again, if that was the only condition the girl would be asking, she could always ask Gentiana to see the child during the rough moments, and in case something was to happen to her.

“Alright, your sister will come with us. While you train with the Crownsguard, I´ll see Gentiana teaches your sister the way of seeing for herself, so that you won´t need to worry.”

“I´d like that.”

“Another thing you would like to make arrangements about?”

“Amodar.”

“Oh, yes, your Godfather.” This time Luna smiled, having anticipated such a request. “You shouldn´t worry about him, though; as we speak, Prince Noctis is convincing him too, of letting you go. In case you say yes, of course.”

Lightning hesitated a bit. “He´s not an easy man.”

“Fret not. Noct took his best advisor for the task, and the man is of high intelligence. I´m completely positive he´ll know how to draw a yes from your godfather.” She winked at her. “Anything else?”

“My… my coach.”

“What about him?”

“I had promised him we´d train together. I´ve fought so hard for his approval, I wouldn´t want to leave him just like that.”

“Who is your couch?”

“Nyx Ulric.”

Lunafreya visibly paled but recovered fast.

“You want him to come… with us?”

“No. But I know he´s been asking for a training for himself, one that has been denied for the sake of someone less deserving. The favor I ask of you is that you make sure he gets that training. He deserves it. Or maybe he doesn´t, but I owe him that much. He did save my life, after all.”

Luna smiled at the teen. For her actions, she already knew the girl had a strong-willed and determined personality. But she hadn´t been aware of such a kind heart beating on her chest. The Oracle of Eos had no doubts anymore. She had found the right person. 

“You´re a good girl, Lightning.” 

At that moment, Luna´s cell phone rang. She picked it up and smiled.

“Clarus, I´m so glad to hear from you. Yes, we found her, it is her, thank you so much for the heads up. I´m on that process, but actually, it was perfect of you to call at this moment, because I´ve got a favor to ask.”

While the princess talked, Lightning finally met Crowe´s eyes, ones full of astonishment, and a tint of sadness.

“So… you´re leaving us.” It wasn´t much of a question than a statement.

Lightning looked down, she didn´t know why but she felt ashamed. Ashamed of leaving them behind, now that they had become friends.

Crowe smiled, still awed at these little people getting attached so easily and so fast to her, Nyx and Libertus. And they to them.

“We are gonna miss you, and your sister.”

In spite of herself, Lightning smiled but tried to hide it with a smirk. “I still haven’t said yes, you know?”

Crowe scoffed, her own attempt at easing the tension. “We both know you’ll eventually say yes.”

Lightning didn’t know how to answer that. Everything was still so weird for her. And Crowe didn’t push the issue any further. She understood the teen’s confusion. They stood in silence for a few minutes while the princess talked, neither of them able to say anything else. Crowe knew she didn´t have the right to ask, but in a short span of time, she had developed quite the attachment to Lightning. To both Farron sisters. She was impressed to know she would be sad once the girls left their lives. And Crowe didn´t want to think what their leaving would do to the boys…

And Lightning… well…

“It´s done.” The princess finally emerged from her conversation. “You shouldn´t worry anymore about Nyx. We have the permission of the King himself for this training. Will you have an answer already?”

Lightning sighed, hesitant. “How much time do I have before I give you a response?”

“Unfortunately, there isn´t much time. We are scheduled to leave today in the evening, in order to hit our first meeting point at dusk. So I need you to answer me at noon, in order to make the arrangements for both of you. I´m sorry, darling.”

Lightning opened her eyes wide. She had only hours! She had less than a day to decide! She was about to say something, when another voice, outside the door, interrupted her.

“For your information, that´s my pupil inside, so I´m entitled to know. What is the Princess doing there? And with Lightning?”

Nyx had arrived and was obviously mad at being left outside. The three women looked at each other, all of them knowing how a flustered Nyx would behave.

“I-I think I should go and try to appease this problem.” The princess said to both of them and gave Lightning a card.

“This is my phone number. Please, as soon as you come to a decision, let me know so that I can make the arrangements we need for you both. I really hope your answer is a positive one.” She smiled one last time and went out to save both of her friends from a serious confrontation. 

oooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

Five hours after their meeting with the Princess, Crowe stormed inside Nyx´s apartment, fuming, never feeling so angry before. At least not at her best friend. And her anger peaked impossible altitudes the moment she found him lying on his sofa. 

Completely drunk.

And still drinking.

“What the hell do you think you´re doing??”

Already sluggish, he raised his half-closed eyes to find his fuming friend and smiled a lopsided smile.

“Hello there, sister! Nice to see you in this fine day in the life of a loser such as me.”

Crowe rolled her eyes at his drama. “I´ll ask again, what do you think you´re doing?”

He turned around, mockingly raising his bottle of wine.

“Having a chat with a best friend, here. Hello bottle, would you drown my heart to the bottom, please?”

At his antics, she finally exploded. “You left us at the hospital, Nyx, and didn´t even appear on the training grounds, Pelna had to cover for you.”

“He´s the best already.” He huffed at the name.

“But you´re the one who´s going to go to the advanced training programs, wasn´t that what you wanted?”

He allowed his head to fall on the couch as if a ragged doll. 

“I just want to die.”

The brunette had had enough of him. “Oh c´mon, Nyx! It´s just a woman who broke your heart. Big deal. Get over it already and stand up! We´ve got a car to catch.”

He stood up slightly at her words. “You heard Gentiana??”

“Of course I did! Everybody heard her! Including Lightning.”

But instead of reacting at her words, his eyes started to fill with unshed tears, but he forced them back, as his hand, the one without the bottle, clutched at his chest.

“I feel my heart broken, Crowe, I do feel it; it´s a physical pain, like something stabbing my chest, as if there were a heavy rock pressing against it, not letting me breathe.”

Crowe rolled her eyes again, but his words had touched the sensitive part of her, but just a little, and she approached her friend, trying to comfort him. And failing miserably.

“You´re just being silly, and I´m getting tired of your stupidity. You accuse Princess Lunafreya of breaking your heart, but did you know today you broke a young girl´s heart? Lightning was waiting so eagerly for you, and she actually saw you coming in. Only to watch her stupid couch leaving us behind.” The more she spoke, the woman became angrier and angrier. “You broke your promise to her, and it was me, instead of you, the one accompanying her to render her declaration. Mind you, she was beyond sad for that.”

“Did she cry?”

She scoffed at that while collecting the empty bottles lying scattered on the floor. “Of course she didn´t. You know her better than that. She just scoffed and said ‘you were the greatest moron she´s ever met’.”

In spite of his heartache, he smiled at that. “I´m getting the feeling she´s liking that name more every day. But fret not, if she didn´t cry, she´s not heartbroken.” He covered his eyes with a hand, trying to hide them from the light.

A hard pillow embedded itself on his face.

“Hey!”

When he looked at Crowe, he recoiled a little, never having seen such a furious expression on her face. 

“Don´t be a prick! You truly broke her heart! She spent the whole night waiting for you, telling me her plans with you, and BAM! You just left her there!”

But her words were met with less than she expected. “It would seem I´m good at disappointing the women of my life.”

A splash of cold wine fell on his face. The cold liquid suddenly attacking him made him finally stand up from his position.

“Damn it, Crowe! What´s wrong with you?”

“You´re what´s wrong with me!! You´re just a moron, Nyx Ulric. And a drama queen. But you´re right, you always disappoint your women, just like you´ve disappointed me a lot of times before. But you know what? I´m still stuck with you because I believe that, behind all that hero crap and loads of guilt you still carry with you, there´s a guy who cares for the people truly, and who would do anything for those he loves.”

He finally confronted his friend, her words and his level of intoxication allowing all the pain he had been holding to come out at that moment, as he seated on the sofa, his posture hunched. “I didn’t know, Crowe, how could I ever know the Princess had feelings for me? Now I lost her forever… and now I hurt Lightning…” He covered his eyes with the base of his palms. “That little lady doesn´t deserve to be hurt by someone as low as me.”

Crowe´s glare softened a bit. “The Princess is out of your reach now, you lost her for being a clueless idiot, alright. But you gotta stop disappointing the people who love you, or who at least care about you. And you can start with a pretty girl whose heart you recently broke.”

But Nyx didn´t move, so she sighed, reaching for the door.

“Lightning is leaving today. In case you want to know.” She closed the door with a bang.

ooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo

Lightning and her sister were sitting on a bench near the entrance of the Royal Garage, four dark walls framing the imposing statues of the Ancient Lucii Kings, that, even as magnificent as they were, gave the whole ambiance a rather gothic and dark feeling, making Serah feel the chills every time she took a glance at the looming figures, that being the reason why she was clinging to her sister´s arm rather desperately. But Lightning didn´t mind. In fact, she was too preoccupied with the absence of someone in the garage, to notice her sister’s plight.

Nyx had run away from her at the hospital. And Lunafreya was to blame. Lightning had been so mad at him, she had immediately called Luna and accepted her proposition. But now she yearned for her mentor to at least come and say goodbye to them. 

But as time went by without any sign of him, Lightning had started to lose all hope, while she kept glancing at the entrance of the enormous garage. The preparations for their departure were being set, people moving all around them, shouting and carrying things, while she just sat, one hand grasping tightly Serah´s hand, and one grabbing her personal belongings, their baggage already on the car. At that moment, the powerful machine of the supercharged Audi R8, the famous Star of Lucis, roared to life, startling the small pinkette sitting beside the teen. Said pinkette stared again fearfully at the four enormous statues surrounding them, her eyes frightful, as she searched for the other girl´s comfort.

“I don´t like it here, Claire, when will Nyx come?”

The taller pinkette rolled her eyes and huffed, her grimace intensifying at the mention of the name.

“You should already know he´s not coming, Serah.”

“But he promised he´d come to save me!” The little girl retorted angrily.

“Well, he promised me, too, a lot of things, and he just broke that promise.”

“But he said he would save me if I need it to, and I need him now!”

Lightning grew even more annoyed, and without wanting to, she snapped at her sister.

“Just shut up, Serah! Life is like that; people lie to you and break their promises all the time. You should already know that. He lied to both of us, he doesn´t care about you nor me, so stop being a child and suck it up!”

Serah said nothing more, but her eyes started to fill with silent tears, while Lightning huffed again, and took a last glance at the entrance, and this time she promised to herself she wouldn´t look back anymore.

That prick, he doesn´t deserve it.

“How are you doing, girls? Serah, what´s wrong?” Princess Lunafreya approached the siblings and kneeled in front of them, cleaning the little girl´s tears with her thumbs.

In between sniffs, Serah spoke. “Nyx promised me he would protect me if I needed him, but he´s not coming even to say goodbye.” Her words elicited a huff from her sister, and Luna looked intently at them both, her chest feeling suddenly heavy; she sat next to the younger pinkette and held her to her breasts, trying her best to comfort her; Serah complied to the movement but never let go of her sister´s hand.

“I´m sure he was dying to come and say goodbye, baby girl, but he´s a very busy man. Something must´ve come out for him.”

“Yeah, like a bottle of beer, must surely.” The teenager spoke, irony mixed with hurt in her voice.

On behalf of Serah, Luna was going to protest at her harsh words, but sighed, not really knowing what to say, and she, too, glanced at the entrance.

Oh, Nyx! You´ve already broken my heart; please, I beg you, spare the hearts of these two beautiful girls. Don´t teach them yet how horrible this world can be. 

The moment the Regalia started its engine, it brought the three girl´s sight towards it, as four males, accompanied by Amodar, approached their bench. Noctis Lucius Caelum, the Crown Prince of Lucis, stepped in front of them all, a big smile on his face; he took Luna´s hand to help her stand, and then kissed her knuckles softly. Said young woman smiled too at the look of pure devotion of her husband and best friend, a tinge of happiness that lifted her spirit. If just a bit.

“Are you ready, girls?” He crouched in front of the pinkettes and addressed the Princess and the two siblings with what was unintentionally his most charming smile. He was just too excited to hit the road again.

“Lightning, Serah, please allow me to introduce you to Prince Noctis. He´ll be riding in the car ahead of us during the journey.”

“Nice you meet you, girls; I´ll be your royal escort for the next months. If that´s okay with you.”

Serah´s face had been full of tears, but at the mention of the word ‘prince’, her countenance immediately brightened up.

“A-are you really a prince?” 

His smile grew wider. “Yes, little one. I might not look like it, but I am a prince. The prince of this city.”

He extended his hand to greet Serah, who gladly took it, but as he extended his hand towards Lightning, she kneeled in front of him instead, her hand over her chest, in a fashion much similar to what she had seen Crowe do in front of the Princess.

“It´s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”

Luna and Noctis blinked in surprise at her action, but the latter recovered first and, taking advantage of his already crouching position, took the girl by the hand, forcing her to look at him.

“I´ve been told you´re going to train with us while we travel, is that correct?”

Lightning hesitated, eyeing Luna wearily. “Y-yes, your highness… if that´s okay with you, I mean. I´d like to become a Crownsguard.” 

He smiled further at her words. “You´re very much welcome in our parrying sessions, but there is something you need to understand first. We are going to travel a lot of time together, and you´re going to be one of the closest members of our party, closest to my wife. So, I want you to be more than a trainee, or a Crownsguard, I want you to be one of her best friends so that you´ll be able to protect her with everything you are. That said, please, these demonstrations are not necessary among friends.”

Lightning gave him a bewildered look. His words were confusing to no end. 

“But I already promised I´d give my life to her if need be. I don´t need to befriend her in order to do that.”

He smiled at her logic, and stood up, dragging her along with him.

“You are right, you don´t have to, but with us, it doesn´t work like that. I´m begging you, your Prince, to befriend her, because just think about it, wouldn´t it be more enjoyable if you travel for fun, rather than for work? I´ve never liked to travel with my staff, I rather enjoy the ride with my friends. And the members of my Crownsguard are my best friends. And now, you´re part of the Crownsguard too.” She blinked in surprise, and Noctis laughed; he then turned, gesturing the other three men to approach. “Let me introduce you to my own best friends forever. That blonde with the chirpy attitude is Prompto, the huge man is Gladiolus,” Noctis flexed a little by the waist so that he was level with the pinkette in order to whisper in her ear, “don´t let him scare you. He can kill a behemoth all by himself, but he becomes a pudding whenever he is around girls, he´s actually a rather nice guy.” Lightning smiled at the information, and satisfied, Noctis straightened up and continued the introductions. “And the one with the glasses is Ignis, my great advisor. These are the people that would give their life for mine. But also the people I would give my life for.” Prompto and Gladiolus waved and smiled at them, but Ignis got closer to the two sisters and kneeled in front of Lightning.

“Hello there, I´m Ignis Scientia, it´s very nice to meet you, Lady Lightning.”

“I-Ignis? Your name is Ignis?”

“Yes, it is, it´s a pleasure to meet someone as beautiful as the name implies.” The man smiled widely at her, and took one of her hands, brushing her knuckles with his lips, the action making Lightning blush madly, and Serah look forlorn. Luna giggled at the girls´ reactions, while she took her place at Noctis side.

“Emh… am I missing something?” Asked the prince at their exchange, eliciting another giggle.

“Do you know what Ignis means?”

“Does it mean something?”

“Yes,” said Gentiana, approaching the group. “It means ‘Lightning’ in Latin.”

For a moment, Noctis remained silent, until an ‘O’ formed on his mouth.

“So, you mean our magnificent Iggy is named after a girl?” Prompto was the one asking, and snickered, accompanied by Gladiolus and Noctis, eliciting a roll of the eyes from the Princess and the High Messenger, who decided to break their foolishness and addressed the Royal Couple.

“It´s time to go, your Highnesses, lest we risk being on the road once night falls.”

Luna nodded at her, and extended a hand towards Amodar, who had been witnessing their exchange, silent the whole moment, must surely already feeling the weight of their departure. She took both of the man´s hands, trying her best to be comforting.

“I know you love these girls as if they were your own, so I´m truly thankful to you, for giving us the opportunity to raise such fine children. Though I can´t make sure of Lightning´s safety, I at least can promise you with all my heart I´ll see they are nurtured properly and happily.”

He gave her a hesitant smile, trying his hardest to control his gurgling emotions. “I know the only way they could be in better hands would be if they were with their parents. Since that´s impossible, I´ll be forever in your debt, your Highness, for giving them the life they deserve and that I can´t give them.” He brushed his lips upon her knuckles and went to collect his girls; the tall man kneeled in front of them, giving them a last, body-crushing hug that made the two girls groan but made Serah giggle, and that still managed to draw a smile from Lightning. Once he let them go, he caressed both girl´s cheeks.

“Now hear me out you two, you must prove them the Farron House is one of the brightest houses all around Eos. You are your parent´s gift to the world, I know you won´t let them down, but I still can threaten you in case you even think of doing it. They´re watching you from above, so better behave. And remember I´ll always find out all the mischiefs you both do, and then you´ll have to face me each time you return home. Got that?” Both girls nodded, Serah already with tears in her eyes again, but though Lightning´s face told him she wanted to cry too, it impressed him how strong she was proving to be, being stronger than him holding up her tears. He was already shedding them.

“Okay, one last hug.” He embraced them heartily, wanting to transmit all the love and worry he felt for them until Gentiana approached.

“It´s time, Amodar. I´m sorry.”

He looked up at her and nodded, cleaning his eyes from tears as he stood up.

“Please, take good care of them. Lightning´s destiny is grime, but I know she´ll face it with a heart of stone.”

“Of steel, Amodar.” The High Messenger smiled sweetly at him. “I promise you I´ll make sure of that.”

He nodded and stepped back, while the woman took both girl´s hands. As they walked towards the car, Lightning´s body tensed as she felt the impulse of searching one last time for Nyx, but forced herself to not look back, her chest tightening.

He didn´t come. The moron…

The Regalia, driven by Ignis and carrying the four young men, rolled first, followed closely by the Star of Lucis, where the little girl of the party was enjoying its luxuries, Serah already touching everything and hitting each button she could find. But Lightning´s eyes were fixed on the road that opened ahead of them, and unreadable expression on her face, one that Gentiana and Luna were concerned about. Both cars passed through the gates of the Royal grounds, and as the Regalia´s motor roared in anticipation, ready to hit the road faster, another roar and another sound reached the pinkette´s ears.

“Spaaarks!! Spaaaaaarks!!”

Lightning´s eyes opened wide in astonishment, and she looked frantically around her, startling her sister while searching for the source, but finding none.

“Sspaaaarks!! Stoooop!”

The Star of Lucis took speed too, and the pinkette finally lowered the window and took her head and almost half of her body out of the car, Luna jumping at her and grabbing the girl´s coat lest she would fall off the window.

“Lightning! Wait!”

Lightning had to strain her position harder, but she could see them already. Libertus was driving a very old car, forcing its machine to the fullest, and had Crowe as a copilot, but the one making all the ruckus was none other than Nyx Ulric, whose body was halfway out of the window already, an exaggeration of her own position, yelling at her and waving a white cloth in his hand, while Libertus honked the car, both trying their hardest to call the attention of the driver.

“Spaaaaaarks!! Please stoooop!!”

“Stop the car…” Lightning said in a whisper, her face still void of emotion but her eyes gleaming with intensity.

“Spaaarks!!”

Serah had found him too, and her face brightened up considerably.

“It´s Nyx! Princess Luna he came! I told you he´d come!”

Luna´s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him and felt herself glued to the floor of the car, refusing to meet the eyes of her brunette advisor.

There was a sudden explosion that startled everyone, and then dark and dense smoke started to come from the front of Libertu´s car, which lost speed in a fast and worrisome momentum. Lightning could see Nyx and Crowe screaming desperately to a very bewildered Libertus, who seemed to be pushing and pulling every button and lever, but their efforts proved to be futile. The car was losing speed and every fraction of a second left them further behind, Lightning immediately understood they were going to lose sight of them soon.

“Stop the car!!” It was Lightning´s desperate voice commanding the driver, but he hesitated and looked at Luna through the rearview mirror. The woman only nodded, not trusting her own voice. The Star of Lucis finally stopped, and as the driver called the Regalia to let them know, Lightning immediately opened up the door and took a sprint towards the now-stalled old car. Nyx jumped outside the window, his desperation rendering him unable to wait and actually open the door; as soon as his feet touched the ground, he took his own sprint towards the pinkette. Lightning had been running at them, but at the sight of the man´s desperate efforts to reach her, she stopped abruptly, her eyes glaring at his approaching form rather ominously. Once the tall man got at her level, huffing at having to run that fast, she glared even more.

“I thought…” he tried a first time, panting, “I thought I wasn´t going… to make it.”

“You are late and almost didn´t make it.” She spoke with a rather rash tone, both hands balled into fists, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

“I know, I´m sorry, alright? The important thing is… I´m here, I managed it.”

“I´m mad at you.” She immediately spat at him, and he sighed, straightening his posture but lowering her head in shame.

“I know.”

“You left me all alone in the hospital.”

“You were with Crowe.” He tried to diminish it with a wave of his hand, but his action only made her yell.

“But you had promised me something! And you broke that promise. You really don´t deserve to be here.”

He sighed again, defeated, as he rubbed his neck with a hand. “I know.”

“And you almost didn´t say goodbye today.”

“I know, alright?” He finally spat too. “I know I´m a moron and I´m sorry, how many times do I have to tell you so that you believe me how truly sorry I am?”

Once his outburst was done, she remained silent for a moment. “You are a moron indeed.”

“Yeah, we stated that already, didn´t we?”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest, creating another wall and making him flinch. “Why did you come here for, anyway?”

“To say goodbye to you, of course, and to give you this.” He extracted a small package and offered it to her. Lightning hesitated at the look of it, and since she didn´t approach, Nyx opened the small box, letting the young girl see the beautiful pendant of a lightning bolt made of silver and onyx. For an unknown reason, he felt very nervous about her rejection and started sweating bullets. “I was going to give it to you once you returned to your usual training after the doctor gave his consent. I had wanted to make it in gold, but you know, it was too intricate, and the attendant said the cost would be too high and they couldn´t make it on time and I thought… well… besides that, I liked it too because it´s made of onyx, you know? Like Ó-Nyx…” He chuckled lightly at his own joke. 

“Just shut up.” She used her coldest voice, but her eyes shone fascinated as her fingers caressed softly the surface of the object. “It´s beautiful…” She almost said it with reverence and played it with her fingers once she took it as if checking out the way the light reflected off of it. Nyx felt elated the moment a small smile illuminated her features when she put the small pendant around her neck but felt his heart melting when she looked up at him, eyes filled with tears that refused to fall.

“Oh… Light…”

But that was the only thing he could say, since the pinkette, out of nowhere, punched him in the gut, making him double over himself. The man fell on his knees while inhaling as deeply as he could.

“I guess… I deserved that…”

“No, you deserve more. But I like your present, so I´ll leave it at that.” She said; in spite of her harsh words, the smile lingered on her face.

He looked up at her, still flexed by the waist. “We are even, then?” 

She took a good look at his gift and smiled. “For the time being, yeah, I forgive you. Try not to mess it up too soon, though.”

He held his hand towards her when a body hit him hard, crashing against him. Serah had finally reached them and gave the startled Glaive a hug so sweet it almost made him laugh, and almost made him fall.

“I knew you´d come! I knew you wouldn´t disappoint us!” Nyx´s chest felt tighter at her words, and he surrounded the tiny body with one arm, as if afraid he could break her.

“I´m sorry it took me so long to realize I should´ve been here with you starting this morning. But I won´t let you down ever again. I promise.” The small pinkette partially let go of him to look him in the eye, eagerness, and hopefulness like he had never seen before plastered on such a sweet face.

“Do you promise?”

“Yeah. I promise.”

“Won´t you break that promise again?”

He took a glance at the teen. “No. I won´t break it ever again.”

“Hey! Don´t forget about us!” Crowe and Libertus approached the group, the former giving Lightning a hug, Serah participating on it too. “Now you beautiful girls, be okay and behave. I want you to be happy, understood? Lightning, please, don´t train too hard: you have to let me teach you a few things before you become the best in your field.”

Lightning chuckled. “I really can´t promise you that, Crowe, I´m supposed to become one of the bests already.”

“Just don´t rush it, okay?” It was Libertus who intervened and took Serah for a hug. “Be a good girl, and take care of your sister, you know how stubborn she can be.” His words made Serah giggle.

“I will!” 

Libertus then looked at Lightning, and opened his arms wide, inviting her in.

“Do I deserve a hug this time?”

Lightning hesitated a bit, but with a sigh, she opened her arms too and allowed the big man to envelop her in his. But only for a moment.

“Hey! I want a hug too, Sparks!” It was Nyx the one protesting.

She glared at the man. “You´ll have to earn it.”

He glared back. “Fine! But you´re giving me that hug once you return!”

“I said you´ll have to earn it. That means you´ll have to work for it once we both return.”

He was about to retort when he noticed the Princess approaching, and his heart ran a hundred miles per hour. He stood up slowly, his eyes fixed on hers, and he noticed she was blushed, but hesitant to approach him. He noticed, too, that she had never looked so beautiful before. When she stopped, meters away from him, and it seemed she wouldn´t advance any further, he gathered all his courage and spilled his heart right then and there.

“I did… Luna, I did feel about you like that. I´m sorry I let you think I didn´t but… I know I´ve been such a fantastic moron not to notice, not to search for that glimpse of hope… I was afraid, I guess, afraid you wouldn´t feel the same. Afraid to wake up and notice the princess would never fall in love with a mere bodyguard…”

“Nyx… I… I´m…”

“But I understand now… I really do…” He interrupted her because he didn´t want her to finish. He didn´t want to know they still had a possibility. The temptation would be too much for his heart. “I promise you, Luna…” Nyx noticed Crowe giving a step towards him, as well as seeing the form of the Prince coming out of his car. He had no time left. “I promise you, my Princess, even when I can´t love you the way you deserve to be loved, my heart will be yours forever. I´ll love you the way a Queen must be loved. With all of my life.”

“N-Nyx… I´m…”

He broke eye contact and fixed his stare on the ground, refusing to meet her eyes again, least his strength would leave him, and then he would kidnap the Princess out of an impulse, and take her to a faraway land where no one would ever find them. At the thought, he immediately closed his eyes and kneeled, forcing his raging mind to stay still, one hand on his chest; after a moment, his comrades imitated him at the sight of the Crown Prince reaching his wife´s side. His proximity made Nyx open his eyes to be fully aware of his presence. And of the way he stood so close to Luna´s side.

“Your Highness.”

“At ease, Kingsglaives.” It had been Noctis the one who spoke, his hand taking the smaller one of the Princess, Nyx immediately noticed. “I´m very grateful to you for taking care of these children. But I still have something more to ask of you. Please, don´t leave them alone. We´ll be returning a few months for each year, so I´m asking you to be there for them once we return. They´ll need friends and family waiting for them.”

“You don´t need to ask this from us, Your Highness.” It was Nyx who spoke on behalf of them, standing up with his eyes fixed at the front, refusing to meet the prince´s eyes. Or the Princess’. “We´ll be here for them, or at least my brothers will be since I won´t be here for a couple of years. But I´ll make sure they´ll be taken care of properly every time they return home.”

Noctis nodded at the man and turned to leave, but noticed the sight of the Princess lingering on the Kingsglaive, and his countenance became an unreadable mask; he gave a step closer to her as if trying to whisper to her ear.

“Do you want to tell them something, Luna?”

She was startled by his voice, and even though it was soft, almost condescending, she could perceive the tint of grievance in it. She hesitated for a moment, searching for Nyx´s eyes, whom still refused to look at her, and then she sighed, looking at her hand intertwined with her friend´s and husband.

“It´s okay, Noct. The things you said were more than enough.” She finally looked up to see his blue eyes, steel behind her own. “I think we should go now.” He understood and gave her a small smile that still had a thankful glitter behind it. He took advantage of their intertwined hands and brought her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers.

“Let´s go then.” With that, he guided her towards the car, his hand on the small of her back. One that Nyx glared profusely at; he immediately berated himself over such feeling until someone punched him lightly on the chest.

“That´s what happens when an idiot falls in love with a princess. Didn´t you know?” Lightning was glaring at him, but now it lacked the animosity, and instead, there was this faint tint of empathy behind such glare. “You get your heart crushed to the ground. But don´t worry. You´ll get over her very soon.”

“I´m not…”

She hit him again. “Don´t you dare deny it, or I´ll be mad at you again.” He smiled at her words, keeping his mouth shut, and remained silent as both girls said their last goodbyes and reached the Princess, waved their hands, and entered the fancy car, leaving the three Kingsglaives behind. And this time, Lightning´s smile was wider, and even remained in place, when facing the road that stretched for miles ahead of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There´s one thing I´d like to clarify: Ignis means Fire in Latin, but while I was searching through the internet, I found a place where it related ignis to lightning, and I adored the relationship, imagining how would Iggy feel to know he had found someone who shared his name. Especially someone as fantastic as our Lightning. Don´t get your imagination too high, though, he´s not going to fall in love with her… probably. So, for the purpose of this fic, we´ll establish ‘ignis’ means ‘lightning’, is that okay with you? 
> 
> Shootout to a wonderful friend of mine, whose words and cheer-ups are the reason I´m posting this baby with such regularity because her words awake my inspiration. Thank you, Andy Farron! For helping me with the encouragement and help! Without you, I think I´d still be in chapter 3!
> 
> Before I keep forgetting, I don´t own Final Fantasy nor am making any money out of this.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hello there!! This is just an introduction chapter, hope you stay with me in spite of it going slow!
> 
> I fell in love with the Kingsglaive Forces the moment I watched the movie! And absolutely in love with Nyx Ulric, he´s so amazing! Even though the man has a bit of an ego on him, hehehe. So, why don´t we make him drop the ego level? At least a few notches, don´t you think? And who better to do that than our amazing Lightning Farron?! *insert fanfares in here* 
> 
> I read in a fantastic fanfic someone making Nyx calling Lightning as ‘Sparks’, and it kinda got stuck with me. But I really don´t remember who it was. So whoever it was, it´s their credit for such a cute nickname!!
> 
> I wanted to write about the Savior Lightning kicking a very high headed Ulric´s ass, but for some reason it appealed more to me a teen Lightning Farron, forming a relationship with Nyx that could be a little bit reminiscing of Lightning´s relationship with Hope, only her personality was untouched, so the interchange would be a lot different and a lot less cute. Hope you like the idea!!
> 
> A few things to place ourselves in the AU I´ve made:
> 
> Lightning Farron is 12-years-old as stated before, though she lied about her age to get into the Kingsglaives, as Libertus perfectly guessed, that makes Serah 6-years-old, I made them younger than the original story because I thought their behavior fitted a lot more those ages, and pictured even more Lightning´s vulnerability as well as the deepness of her inner strength. But she won´t be that age forever. I want this to be different from my other stories, which means we will be making leaps of time so that we get to see Lightning growing into the fantastic, kickass, beautiful and imposing woman and leader we know she is. Care to join me on the ride?
> 
> Nyx Ulric is 18-years-old, as well as his peers, and only a couple of years since they finished the training themselves (one or two, give or take). He´s advanced in ranks faster than his age would normally permit, but it was due to events that will be revealed in later chapters, so Libertus and Crowe are Corporals while he´s already a First Sergeant. 
> 
> Niflheim is still at war against Lucis, but here, the kingdom of Lucis is a lot stronger, so has been able to repel every attack Niflheim throws at them. Which means King Regis is still alive.
> 
> I twisted a few things as well: Niflheim never kidnapped Lunafreya, nor took hold of the kingdom of Tenebrae, which remains as Lucis´ most trusted ally. Noctis and Lunafreya managed to get married just a couple of months prior to the start of the story.
> 
> Well, I think that´s the gist of it. The rest will be revealed as the story progresses. Thank you so much for reading!!


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